


I’ll Never Let Go.

by Lone_wolf1723



Category: Preath, Titanic (1997), USWNT - Fandom
Genre: Christen is Rose, F/F, Multi, PREATH - Freeform, RMS Titanic, Titanic AU, Tobin is Jack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:28:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 22
Words: 57,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28196913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lone_wolf1723/pseuds/Lone_wolf1723
Summary: Christen. A first class women who feels trapped in her own written life, wants to break free and find out herself what the world is like.Tobin. A poor artist who has a lucky poker hand and will change her life for good. Has great eyes for a certain women.(This is literally the movie’s storyline from 1997, I’ve just changed the characters in it). :)
Relationships: Alex Morgan/Kelley O'Hara, Ashlyn Harris/Ali Krieger, Tobin Heath/Christen Press
Comments: 15
Kudos: 45





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Again, I don’t own the storyline. I was watching the titanic one day and thought I would adapt it to the best players around ;). 
> 
> I know it's been a lot longer than 84 years since the Titanic sank, 108 years to be exact, but for trying to keep on the movie/script preferences it's gonna have the classic line of 84 years :).
> 
> Character list-
> 
> Tobin Heath- Jack Dawson.
> 
> Christen Press- Rose DeWitt Bukater/Calvert.
> 
> Stacy Press- Ruth DeWitt Bukater. 
> 
> Caledon Hockley (Cal) will stay as original movie character.
> 
> Molly Brown will stay as original movie character. 
> 
> Alex Morgan- Fabrizio De Rossi (she will have an Italian accent like Fabrizio). 
> 
> Kelley O'Hara- Tommy Ryan (will have the Irish accent like Tommy). 
> 
> Ashlyn Harries and Ali Krieger- as the two people in the cabin which Jack and Fabrizio stays in. In this story they will be more parts and more interaction with the main characters. They won't be Swedish like in the movie, they will be American. 
> 
> Megan Rapinoe- Thomas Andrews.
> 
> Vlatko Andonovski- Captain Edward John Smith. 
> 
> Mallory Pugh- Cora (the young girl with the father). 
> 
> Servando Carrasco- Lovejoy (Cal's Valet). 
> 
> Emily Sonnett- Lizzy Calvert. (Rose's Granddaughter). 
> 
> Rose Lavelle- Rose's maid. 
> 
> Sam Mewis- Ruth's maid. 
> 
> Zachary Ertz and Julie Ertz- Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon and Lucile, Lady Duff-Gordon. 
> 
> Jose Batista and Allie Long- Benjamin Guggenheim and (Mistress) Madame Aubert.
> 
> Every other character not listed here will be the original movie character when you see their name within the story. 
> 
> I want to try and keep this to the 1997 movie as much as I can but also change it slightly in parts (like the original script and my own twists) so at some points it may get confusing, so let me know and I will try and help you understand. Also, please let me know if there is a mistake at anytime in the story and I will try my best to correct it. 
> 
> Now hope you enjoy this Titanic AU. :)

It was a quiet and relaxed morning in sunny Ojai, California. Not a sign of trouble or interference in sight, just peace which felt blissful. As the sun shone, within the open glass studio, which is attached to a beautiful house and has a view of the ocean, was an ancient woman. She was sat at her pottery wheel spinning a new pot. Her hands were covered deeply with the red clay liquid but that's not the only thing which covers her hands. Her hands were also covered in age spots which shows that they have gnarled over the 100 years she has been living, yet they are surprisingly strong and supple. 

She's being assisted by another women who looks like she's in her early 40s by bringing her a hot beverage and sitting down to help, the older women appreciates it as she looks up and smiles at the younger one. 

They work in silence with only the TV playing in the background which has the CNN news on with a female announcer. 

''Treasure hunter Brock Lovett is best known for finding Spanish gold in sunken galleons in the Caribbean.'' The older woman doesn't seem bothered by what she is listening to, she was too involved in her pot which was coming along nicely. 

''And now at this moment, he is using deep submergence technology to work two and a half miles down at another famous wreck known around the world... The Titanic.'' This got the elder woman's attention. She slowly turns her head from the pot in hand to watch the small TV box.

''He is live will us via satellite from a Russian research ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean... Hello Brock, are you there?'' The TV switches from the female to the male, known as Brock Lovett. 

''Yes Hi Tracy.'' He smiles down the camera, 'handsome fella' the older woman thinks. 

She smiles and turns back to her pot, as the other woman gets up and makes her way into the attached kitchen which overviews the living room so she's a little out of sight of the studio but in ear shot just in case she is needed. 

"You know, Titanic isn't just A shipwreck. Titanic is THE shipwreck, she is the Mount Everest of all wrecks."He smiles but the woman isn't that interested again. 

''We have discovered things down here that hold historical value but also that educational value so The Titanic history can live on in generations to come, she deserves to be remembered.'' 

''Oh how wonderful Mr Lovett. But it's no secret that education is not your main purpose. You are the best known Treasure hunter. So what is the treasure you are hunting?''

''I'd rather show you than tell you, and we believe we could be very close on doing that.'' This catches the attention of the woman again, interested in what possibly could be found after all these years.

Christen Calvert is the name of the older women, her face wrinkled and cracked, her body shapeless and shrunken under the velvet of the African-print dress. But her eyes bright as emeralds and alive like the young girl she once was. Christen rose from her seat and wiped some clay remains off her hands with a rag, she slowly walked into the living room to get a better look at the TV as a small Pomeranian dog followed her footsteps. She was also seen by her Granddaughter on her appearance, who was quick by her side, holding her arm.

''Grandma? Is everything alright?'' The younger woman questioned. 

''Emily dear, turn that up please.'' Christen points her bent finger at the TV. Emily gives her sceptical look by nodded nonetheless. She made her way over to the box and turned it up, they both listened. 

''Your expedition is at the centre of a storm of controversy over salvage rights and even ethics. Many are calling you a grave robber Mr Lovett.'' The CNN news reader known as Tracy says. 

''Nobody called the recovery of the artefacts from King Tutt's tomb grave robbing. I have museum-trained experts here, making sure this stuff is preserved and catalogued properly. Look at this drawing, which was found today...''Lovett smiles again but that soon disappeared as the screen went to the found artefact. A drawing of a naked women in only a neckless fills the screen, making Christen gasp covering her mouth with a shaky hand and wide eyes.

"Grandma, you okay?" Emily asks worried with a gentle hand on Christen's shoulder but Christen doesn't acknowledge her as she's too focused on the screen in front of her. Lovett's voice was soon to be heard again but the drawing remains in view. 

"...a piece of paper that's been underwater for 84 years... and my team are able to preserve it intanct. Should this have remained unseen at the bottom of the ocean for eternity, when we can see it and enjoy it now?" Lovett makes a good point and Tracy is heard to be agreeing with him.

"Is this what you were looking for then?" Tracy asks.

"How much of this is a great find, unfortunately no it is not... we are looking for the neckless which is being shown on this women's neck within the drawing." 

Christen removes her hand but her mouth hangs with amazement. 

"I'll be God damned." She whispers. 

On the Russian research ship... 

The Mir subs are being launched. Mir Two is already in the water, and Lovett is getting ready to climb into Mir One when Bobby Buell runs up to him. Taking him away from his task at hand which he doesn't like that much. 

"There's a satellite call for you boss." Bobby shouts, over the noisy hum of the engines of the boat. Lovett gives him an obvious look. 

"Um kind of launching here Bobby. Can't you see the subs being lowered into the water." Lovett says sarcastically, with a hand pointing to the subs below ships deck. 

"Take a message." He says as he went to continue to board but Bobby stops him quickly. 

"No no no. Trust me, you WANT to take this call boss." Lovett looks back at him again with a raised eyebrow but jumps down to take the phone from Bobby. 

"This is Brock Lovett. What can I do for you, Mrs... ?" He looks at Bobby for the name of the person on the other end. 

"Christen Calvert." Bobby whispers softly.

"Mrs Calvert?" Lovett continues while rubbing his brow and looks down. Christen was soon to reply on the other end. 

"I was just wondering if you had found the "Heart of the Ocean" yet, Mr Lovett." This cause Lovett to look up instantly with wide eyes, he almost drops the phone in the process. After seeing his reaction, Bobby smirks smugly at Lovett. 

"I told you you wanted to take this call." Bobby says with pride. Lovett rolls his eyes at him before continuing with Christen. 

"Alright. You have my attention, Christen. Can you tell me who the woman in the picture is?" He asks hopefully. 

"Oh yes. The woman in the picture is me." She says point blank and Lovett couldn't believe what he has just heard. 

The next day...

An enormous sea stallion helicopter thunders through the air and across the ocean. Looking for a place to land on the Russian ship. 

Christen looks out the window of the helicopter calmly, watching as the ship is getting closer and closer. But enjoying the view of the ocean also, it's one of her favourite things. 

Meanwhile on the ship, Brock and Lewis Bodine, who is Lovett's remotely operated vehicle pilot, are watching Mir 2 being swung over the side to start a dive. But this was not what Bodine wanted to talk about, he wanted to talk about there elderly guest. 

"She's a goddamned liar! A nutcase. Like that... what's her name? That Anastasia babe." He blasts out. Lovett ignores him but hears word from Bobby who comes up behind them. 

"They're inbound." Brock nods and the three of them head forward to meet the approaching helicopter. However as the walk Bodine continues his opinion. 

"She says she's Christen Press, right? Christen Press died on the Titanic. At the age of 17. If she'd've lived, she'd be over a hundred now." 

"A hundred and one next month." Lovett says, giving him a pointed look but continues his walk to the landing pad but still this doesn't shut Bodine up.

"Okay, so she's a very old goddamned liar. I traced her as far back as the 20's... she was working as an actress in L.A. An actress. Her name was Christen Heath. Then she married a guy named Calvert, moved to Cedar Rapids, had two kids. Now Calvert's dead, and from what I've heard Cedar Rapids is dead." Lovett just shakes his head at him for being oblivious. 

The Sea Stallion approaches the ship, forcing Brock to yell over the rotors to give his point to Bodine. 

"And everyobody who knows about the diamond is supposed to be dead... or on this ship. But she knows about it." He points to the helicopter which is very close to landing. "And I want to hear what she has to say. Got it?" Looking at Bodine, all he could do was nod knowing he lost the debate. 

In a thundering blast, the helicopter's wheels bounce down on the landing pad. Lovett, Bobby and Bodine watch as the helicopter crew hands out about ten suitcases, and then Christen is lowered to the deck in a wheelchair by the crewmen on board the boat. 

Emily, who ducks unnecessarily under the rotor, follows her out while Christen is carrying Freddy the Pomeranian. Emily smiles as Lovett approaches.

"Welcome aboard, so nice to meet you." He smiles at Emily and offers a hand to shake which she takes happily. 

"Nice to meet you too." She shouts over the helicopter's whirl. 

Out of the corner of her eye she sees some crewmen start to wheel her grandmother so she quickly steps in to take over by removing their hands. 

One of the helicopter crew hands a Lovett a goldfish bowl with several fish in it, making him quite puzzled. 

"Guessing Christen doesn't travel light then" He thinks to himself looking at the fish. 

"S'cuse me, I have to go check our supply of Depends." Bodine says quickly as he scurries away, having seen enough, Lovett just shakes his head as he follows the elder woman into the main ship. 

Within the main ship...

Emily is unpacking Christen's things in the small utilitarian room. Christen is placing a number of framed photos on the bureau, arranging them carefully next to the fishbowl. 

Brock and Bodine make their way to the room and stand in the doorway, softly knocking. They smile at the women in front of them. 

"Is your stateroom alright Mrs Calvert?" Lovett asks politely.

"Yes. Very nice. Have you met my granddaughter, Emily? She takes care of me." Christen says proudly while looking between Emily and Lovett, smiling. 

"Yes." Emily says softly towards her grandmother but looking at Lovett. "We met just a few minutes ago, grandma. Remember, up on deck?" She turns back to Christen. 

Christen thinks for a moment before smiling. "Oh, yes." 

Brock glances at Bodine... uh oh. Bodine rolls his eyes and thinks "here we go." 

Christen finishes arranging her photographs which has the usual snapshots though out life, children and grandchildren, her late husband...

"There, that's nice." Christen sits back slightly, feeling chuffed at her photo arrangement. "I have to have my pictures when I travel." Looking at Lovett. "And Freddy of course." Gesturing down to the dog on the floor who is currently playing with his bone. 

Lovett nods and smiles. 

"Would you like anything?" He says to Christen. Christen gives him another gentle smile. 

"I should like to see my drawing." This causes her to grin.


	2. Chapter 2

Christen looks at the drawing in its tray of water, confronting herself across a span of 84 years. Until they can figure out the best way to preserve the drawing, they have to keep it immersed. It sways and ripples, almost as if it is alive. Christen can't help but just let her ancient eyes gaze at the drawing longly and lovingly.

This causes her to have a flashback of a woman's hand, holding a short, charcoal crayon deftly creating a shoulder and the shape of her hair with two efficient lines. 

Christen looks to her face in the drawing which seems to be dancing within the water. 

Christen has another flashback of a woman's eyes, just visible over the top of a sketching pad. They look up suddenly right into the eyes of Christen. They are soft eyes but fearlessly direct. 

Christen smiles, remembering. 

Brock has the reference photo of the necklace in his hand, sitting down next to Christen in her wheelchair. Christen sits back after taking one last look at the drawing. 

"Louis the Sixteenth wore a fabulous stone, called the Blue Diamond of the Crown, which disappeared in 1792, about the time Louis lost everything from the neck up." Brock says, placing the photo of the necklace in front of Christen. "The theory goes that the crown diamond was chopped too... recut into a heart-like shape... and it became Le Coeur de la Mer. The Heart of the Ocean. Today it would be worth more than the Hope Diamond." He says smiling looking at Christen. 

Christen glances at the photo in front of her, sighing before looking at Lovett. 

"It was a dreadful, heavy thing." She says as she points at the picture. "I only wore it this once." Holding her finger up quickly, then resting it in her hands in her lap. 

"You actually believe this is you Grandma?" Emily questions towards Christen. 

Christen immediately looks at Emily, slightly shocked Emily think she's going crazy to think it is her. 

"It IS me, dear." She gives Emily a point look before smirking. "Wasn't I hot one?" Grinning, when those around her chuckle. 

"I tracked it down through insurance records... and old claim that was settled under terms of absolute secrecy. Do you know who the claiment was, Christen?" Lovett questions after the chuckles went down and now it's back to business. 

Christen rolled her eyes slightly before sighing. "Someone named Hockley, I should imagine." Her lips sealed almost instantly after saying the name. Lovett smiles at her. 

"Nathan Hockley, right. Pittsburgh steel tycoon. For a diamond necklace his son Caledon Hockley bought in France for his fiancee... which is you... a week before he sailed on Titanic." Lovett says the information effortlessly. "And the claim was filed right after the sinking. So the diamond had to've gone down with the ship." He looks up to Emily while pointing at the drawing in the water. "See the date?" 

Emily bends over to see the date written on the drawing.

"April 14, 1912." Emily says, softly. Lovett nods his head. 

"If your grandma is who she says she is, she was wearing the diamond the day Titanic sank." He looks back to Christen and chuckles. "And that makes you my new best friend. I will happily compensate you for anything you can tell us that will lead to its recovery." Christen dismisses him with his offer. 

"I don't want your money, Mr. Lovett. I know how hard it is for people who care greatly for money to give some away." Lovett was taken back by the Christen's statement but didn't say anything on it. Bodine speaks up though. 

"You don't want anything?" He raises an eyebrow as Christen looks at him but then back at the drawing slightly. 

She taps the container the drawing rests in and looks at Lovett. 

"You may give me this, if anything I tell you is of value." She says and Brock nods. 

"Deal." He said simply, making Christen smile. 

He gets up and pushes a small table with different values on top of it towards Christen. 

"On here are a few things we've recovered from your staterooms." He stops the table in front of Christen. 

Laid out on a worktable are fifty or so objects, from mundane to valuable. Christen, shrunken in her chair, can barely see over the table top so she sits up a bit. With a trembling hand she lifts a tortoise shell hand mirror, inlaid with mother of pearl. She caresses it wonderingly. 

"This was mine." She looks at Emily with a giddy smile then looks back at the object. "How extraordinary! It looks the same as the last time I saw it." 

She turns the mirror around and looks at her ancient face through the cracked glass. 

"The reflection has changed a bit." She says sombrely but soon shakes it off as she spies something else, a silver and moonstone art-nouveau brooch. She rests the mirror back down to pick up the new object. 

"My mother's brooch. She wanted to go back for it. Caused quite a fuss." She sighs as she places it back down. 

Christen picks up an ornate art-nouveau hair comb. A jade butterfly takes flight on the ebony handle of the comb. 

She turns it slowly, remembering. 

Christen experiences a rush of images go through her mind and emotions that have laid dormant for eight decades as she handles the butterfly comb. 

Lovett kneels down by the side of Christen's wheelchair, ready to ask Christen something. She looks to him as he comes eye level.

"Are you ready to go back to Titanic?" He asks causing Christen to gulp ever so slightly. ... 

It is a darkened room lined with TV monitors which everyone is saturated in. Images of the wreck fill the screens which was being fed from Mir One and Two submarines. Everyone was set up to face forward. 

"Live from 12,000 feet." Bodine says proudly.

Christen stares raptly at the screens. She is enthraled by one in particular, an image of the bow railing. It was obvious it means something to her cause Brock was studying her reactions carefully and saw how she was focused on that one screen. Christen remained silent though. 

"The bow's struck in the bottom like an axe, from the impact. Here... I can run a simulation we worked up on this monitor over here." Bodine said as he prepares an simulation of the Titanic sinking. 

Emily turns the chair so Christen can see the screen of Bodine's computer. As he is calling up the file, he keeps talking. 

"We've put together the world's largest database on the Titanic. Okay, here..." but he is soon interrupted by Lovett.

"Christen might not want to see this, Lewis." He holds his hand up. 

"No, no. It's fine. I'm curious." Christen butts in, sending a smile to Lovett who gives an unsure one back. He looks up to Bodine and nods to continue. 

Bodine starts a computer animation graphic on the screen, which parallels his rapid-fire narration. 

"She hits the berg on the starboard side and it sort of bumps along... punching holes like a morse code... dit dit dit, down the side. Now she's flooding in the forward compartments..." He speaks quickly, pointing at different parts of the animation, Christen tries her best to keep up. "...and the water spills over the tops of the bulkheads, going aft. As her bow is going down, her stern is coming up... slow at first... and then faster and faster until it's lifting all that weight, maybe 20 or 30 thousand tons... out of the water and the hull can't deal... so SKRTTT!!" He makes noises in time of the animation which makes Lovett shake and roll his eyes momentarily. "... it splits! Right down to the keel, which acts like a big hinge. Now the bow swings down and the stern falls back level... but the weight of the bow pulls the stern up vertical, and then the bow section detaches, heading for the bottom. The stern bobs like a cork, floods and goes under about 2:20 a.m. Two hours and forty minutes after the collision." 

The animation then follows the bow section as it sinks. Rose watches this clinical dissection of the disaster without emotion. 

"The bow pulls out of its dive and planes away, almost a half a mile, before it hits the bottom going maybe 12 miles an hour. KABOOM!" He makes an explosive noise. 

The bow impacts on the screen, digging deeply into the bottom, the animation now follows the stern. 

"The stern implodes as it sinks, from the pressure, and rips apart from the force of the current as it falls, landing like a big pile of junk." He taps a button quickly on the computer stopping the simulation. And look up giddy to Christen.

"Cool huh?" He grins. The room is silent for a minute, having a soft smile from Christen, a confused look from Emily and some crewmen and an unimpressed stare from Lovett. This doesn't stop Bodine smiling though. Christen is the first to speak up. 

"Thank you for that fine forensic analysis, Mr. Bodine. Of course the experience of it was somewhat less clinical." She says and this snaps Lovett out of his range of staring at Bodine. He walks in front of Christen and pulls a chair out to sit in front of her, as he lowers in the chair he asks her a question. 

"Will you share it with us?" 

Her eyes go back to the screens, showing the sad ruins far below them. 

A view from one of the subs tracking slowly over the boat deck. Christen recognises one of the Wellin davits, still in place. 

She hears ghostly waltz music in her head. 

The faint and echoing sound of an officer's voice, in an English accent, calling "Women and children only". 

Her mind replays the memory of screaming faces in a running crowd, Pandemonium and terror. People crying, praying, kneeling on the deck. 

Christen looks at another monitor. Mir one sub moving down a rusted, debris-filled corridor. Christen watches the endless row of doorways sliding past, like dark mouths. 

An image of a child, three years old to be exact, standing ankle deep in water in the middle of an endless corridor. The child is lost alone, crying. 

Christen is shaken by the flood of memories and emotions. Her eyes well up and she puts her head down, sobbing quietly. She feels a reassuring hand on her shoulder from Emily before she spoke. 

"I'm taking her to rest." Emily went to stand and push her wheelchair but she was stopped by Christen's sudden outburst. 

"No!" Her voice is surprisingly strong. The sweet little old lady is gone, replaced by a woman with eyes of steel. 

Lovett signals everyone to stay quiet and Emily sits back down but this time in front of Christen, like Lovett as the others stand behind them to face and listen to Christen. 

"Tell us, Christen." Lovett says softly.

She looks from screen to screen, the images of the ruined ship. 

"It's been 84 years..." She begins but is stopped. 

"Just tell us what you can-" Lovett interrupts but he is soon stopped too. Christen raises her hand to silent him, she gives him a pointed look. He gives her a soft smile letting her continue. 

"It's been 84 years..." She sighs, ready to relive an amazing yet terrifying moment in her life. "...and I can still smell the fresh paint. The china had never been used. The sheets had never been slept in."

Lovett switches on the minirecorder and sets it near her. 

"Titanic was called the Ship of Dreams. And it was. It really was..."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story of Tobin and Christen on the RMS Titanic begins :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

Southampton, England, April 10 1912...

The gleaming white superstructure of Titanic rises mountainously and above that the buff-colored funnels stand against the sky like the pillars of a great temple. Crewmen move across the deck, dwarfed by the awesome scale of the steamer. A crowd of hundreds blackens the pier next to Titanic like ants on a jelly sandwich. 

Over head, being ported on the ship, was a gorgeous burgundy touring car, hanging from a loading crane. It is was being lowered towards hatch 2 on the ship.

On the pier horsedrawn vehicles, motorcars and lorries move slowly through the dense crowd. The atmosphere is one of excitement and general giddiness. People embrace in tearful farewells, or wave and shout bon voyage wishes to friends and relatives on the decks above. 

A white touring car, leading a silver-gray Daimler-Benz, pushes through the crowd leaving a wake in the press of people. Around the handsome cars people are streaming to board the ship, jostling with hustling seamen and stokers, porters, and barking white star line officials. 

The car stops and the driver scurries to open the door for a young woman dressed in a stunning white and purple outfit, with an enormous feathered hat with her gorgeously black hair done up underneath it. She is 17 years old and beautiful, with piercing green eyes. 

It's Christen. She looks up at the ship, taking it in with cool appraisal. 

"I don't see what all the fuss is about. It doesn't look any bigger than the Mauretania." She says blankly. 

A personal valet opens the door on the other side of the car for Caledon Hockley, the 30 year old heir to the elder Hockley's fortune. "Cal" is handsome, arrogant and rich beyond meaning. 

"You can be blase about some things, Christen, but not about Titanic." He says smiling as he takes the Titanic in. "It's over a hundred feet longer than Mauretania, and far more luxurious. It has squash courts, a Parisian cafe... even Turkish baths."

Cal turns and fives his hand to Christen's mother, Stacy Press, who descends from the touring car by him. Stacy is a 40ish society empress, from one of the most prominent Philadelphia families. She is a widow, and rules her household with iron will, much to Christen's displeasure. 

"Your daughter is much too hard to impress, Stacy." He says to Christen's mother as she departs the vehicle. He indicates to a puddle. "Mind your step."

Gazing up at the beautiful liner, Stacy has a tight lipped smile with her nose held high and comments. "So this is the ship they say is unsinkable." 

"It IS unsinkable. God himself couldn't sink this ship." Cal interjects with pride as if he's a host of a worldly experience. 

This entire entourage of rich Americans is impeccably turned out, a quintessential example of the Edwardian upper class, obviously completed with servants. 

Cal's valet, Servando Carrasco, is a tall and impassive, dour as an undertaker. Behind him emerge two maid, personal servants to Stacy and Christen. They go by the names of Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis. 

A white star line porter scurries toward them, harried by last minute loading.

"Sir, you'll have to check your baggage through the main terminal, round that way-- " The Porter rushed but is stopped. 

Cal nonchalantly hands the man a fiver. The porter's eyes dilate. Five pounds was a monster tip in those days. 

"I put my faith in you, good sir." He smugly smiles. He looks over to Carrasco. "See my man." 

"Yes, sir. My pleasure, sir." The Porter moves over to the valet to both Cal no more. 

Cal never tires of the effect of money on the unwashed masses. 

"These trunks here, and 12 more in the Daimler. We'll have all this lot up in the rooms." Servando instructs the Porter. 

The White Star man looks stricken when he sees the enormous pile of steamer trunks and suitcases loading down the second car, including wooden crates and steel safe. He whistles frantically for some cargo-handlers nearby who come running. 

Cal breezes on, leaving the minions to scramble. He quickly checks his pocket watch. 

"We'd better hurry. This way, ladies." Moving towards the two women. Christen gives him a hard stare as he walks in front. 

He indicates the way toward the first class gangway so they move into the crowd. Christen's maid Rose, hustles behind them, laden with bags of her mistress's most recent purchases... things too delicate for the baggage handlers. 

Cal leads, weaving between vehicles and handcarts, hurrying passengers, mostly second class and steerage, and well-wishers. Most of the first class passengers are avoiding the smelly press of the dockside crowd by using an elevated boarding bridge, twenty feet above. 

They pass a line of steerage passengers in their coarse wool and tweeds, queued up inside movable barriers like cattle in a chute. A health officer examines their heads one by one, checking scalp and eyelashes for lice. 

They pass a well-dressed young man cranking the handle of a wooden Biograph "cinematograph" camera mounted on a tripod. Daniel Marvin, whose father founded the Biograph Film Studio, is filming his young bride in front of the Titanic. Mary Marvin stands stiffly and smiles but it is full of self consciousness. 

When walking past, Cal is jostled by two yelling steerage boys who shove past him. And he is bumped again a second later by the boys' father. 

"Steady!!" He shouts his his bristly voice, having put a hand on Stacy's back to protect as if they will hurt her. Christen rolls her eyes. 

"Sorry squire!" The father says, fear clear in his eyes. Christen feels bad for him, they should have to live like this, in constant fear of the upper class, everyone should be treated equally as we are all human. 

The Cockney father pushes on, after his kids, shouting. 

"Steerage swine. Apparently missed his annual bath." Cal says through gritted teeth.

"Honestly, Cal, if you weren't forever booking everything at the last instant, we could have gone through the terminal instead of running along the dock like some squalid immigrant family." Stacy pointed out.

"All part of my charm, Stacy. At any rate, it was my darling fiancee's beauty rituals which made us late." He smirks and says it loud enough for Christen to hear. 

"You told me to change." Christen said simple. 

"I couldn't let you wear black on sailing day, sweetpea. It's bad luck." Christen rolls her eyes at him but luckily he can't see, if he did she would get a lecture from him but also her mother. 

"I felt like black." Christen shrugged.

Cal guides them out of the path of a horse-drawn wagon loaded down with two tons of Oxford Marmalade, in wooden cases, for Titanic's Victualling Department. 

"Here I've pulled every string I could to book us on the grandest ship in history, in her most luxurious suites... and you act as if you're going to your execution." He smiles towards the women.

Christen looks up as the hull of Titanic looms over them...a great iron wall. Cal motions her forward and makes her take his hand which she didn't want to do but did it anyway so a scene wasn't caused. She enters the gangway to the D Deck doors with a sense of overwhelming dread. 

"It was the ship of dreams... to everyone else. To me it was a slave ship, taking me back to America in chains." Old Christen explains to Emily, Lovett and his crew. 

Cal grips on to Christen's hand tighter and his arm closes possessively over Christen's arm. He escorts her up the gangway and the black hull of Titanic swallows them. 

"Outwardly I was everything a well brought up girl should be. Inside, I was screaming." 

The Titanic's horn blasts out for all to hear, making those outside the ship cheer greatly. 

...

From several blocks away, Titanic still towering above the terminal buildings like the skyline of a city. The steamer's whistle echoes across Southampton. 

Through a window and in a small, smoky pub, it is crowded with dockworkers and ship's crew. 

Just inside the window, a poker game is in progress. Four women, in working class clothes and rags are playing a very serious hand. 

Tobin Heath and Alex Morgan, both about 20, exchange a glance as the other two players argue who surprisingly American. Tobin is also American, a lanky drifter with her hair little long for the standards of the times she lives in. Her clothes are rumpled from sleeping in them. She is an artist, and has adopted the bohemian style of art scene in Paris. She is also very self-possessed and sure-footed for 20, having lived on her own since 15. 

The two Americans in front of Tobin continue their sullen argument. 

"You stupid fishhead. I can't believe you bet our tickets." The American known as Kristie says to her partner in crime Sydney. 

"You lost our money. I'm just trying to get it back. Now shutup and take a card." Sydney resorts back to her, rolling her eyes in the process. Tobin stares at the two with a sly smile and a cigarette hanging out her mouth. 

"Hit me again, Sydney." 

Tobin takes the card and slips it into her hand. 

The two American look into Tobin's eyes, trying to suspect anything they can but the brown pools betray nothing. 

Alex licks her lips nervously as she refuses a card. 

The stack in the middle of the table is clear to be a big win. Bills and coins from four counrties. This has been going on for a while and patients and time are running out quickly, especially to the two Americans. Sitting on top of the money are two 3rd class tickets to the RMS Titanic. 

In the short distance, the Titanic's whistle blows again, meaning Final warning. 

"The moment of truth ladies. Somebody's life's about to change." Tobin says with the smallest smirk. 

Alex puts her cards down. So do the Americans, but Tobin holds hers close. 

"Let's see... Alex's got niente. Kristie, you've got squat. Sydney, uh oh... two pair... mmm." Tobin thinks out aloud when she turns to Alex. "Sorry Alex" 

"What sorry? What you got? You lose my money?? Ma va fa'n culo testa di cazzo--" (but go fuck your ass-) Alex says quickly in her Italian accent, absolutely hating the fact that they have lost. The two Americans in front of them smirk but that is soon wiped away. 

"Sorry, you're not gonna see your mama again for a long time..." Tobin smiles and Alex takes a minute to process what has been said before she is smiling widely. 

She slaps a full house down on the table. 

"Cause you're goin' to America!! Full house boys!" She shouts with a massive grin across her face, including Alex as she shouts out celebrating. 

"Porca Madonna!! YEEAAAAA!!!" (Holy shit) Alex shouts out and hugs Tobin cheerfully. 

The table explodes and some around into shouting in a couple languages. Tobin rakes in the money and the tickets. 

Tobin turns to the Americans who have shocked and annoyed faces. "Sorry ladies. Three of a kind and a pair. I'm high and you're dry and..." Tobin turns to Alex."... we're going to--"Both grinning at each other. 

"L'AMERICA!!!" Tobin and Alex shout at the time. "WOOHOO!!" 

Kristie balls up one huge farmer's fist and wrapping her other hand around Tobin's shirt. It looks like she's going to clobber Tobin, so Tobin shuts her eyes tight but she doesn't feel anything and the grip is gone. She opens her eyes and sees Kristie has swung round and punches Sydney, who flops backward onto the floor and sits there, looking depressed. Kristie forgets about Tobin and Alex, who are dancing around and laughing, and goes into a rapid harangue of her stupid cousin. 

Tobin kisses the tickets, then jumps on Alex's back and rides her around the pub, getting started at by the whole place. It's like they won the lottery, which they basically have in their 3rd class eyes. 

"Goin' home... to the land o' the free and the home of the real hot-dogs! On the TITANIC!! We're ridin' in high style now! We're practically goddamned royalty, baby horse!" 

"You see? Is my destinio!! (Destiny) Like I told you. I go to l'America!! To be a millionaire!!" Alex is giddy than ever. She turns to the pub keeper. "Capito?? I go to America!!"

"No, mate. Titanic goes to America. In five minutes." The pub keeper says in his strong cockney accent and points at the clock. Both Tobin and Alex looks up to and rushes to grab their stuff. 

"Shit!! Come on, Lex!" Tobin places her cap on her head and so does Alex, making sure their hair is somewhat tucked in out of their eyes. "Come on!!" Tobin looks around smiling at everyone, then back to the two Americans who are still unimpressed. 

"It's been grand." Tobin says to them and then they both run for the door. The pub keeper shouts out to them as they go, chuckling. 

"Course I'm sure if they knew it was you lot comin', they'd be pleased to wait!" But the two women were already gone. 

Tobin and Alex, carrying everything they own in the world in the kit bags on their shoulders, sprint toward the pier. They tear through milling crowds next to the terminal. Shouts go up behind them as they jostle slow-moving gentlemen. They dodge piles of luggage, and weave through groups of people. They burst out onto the pier and Tobin comes to a dead stop making Alex run ahead a bit, just staring at the cast wall of the ship's hull, towering seven stories above the wharf and over an eighth of a mile long. 

"The Titanic is monstrous." Tobin thinks, smiling. 

Alex runs back and grabs Tobin, and they sprint toward the third class gangway aft, at E deck. They reach the bottom of the ramp just as Sixth Officer Moody detaches it at the top. It starts to swing down from the gangway doors. 

"Wait!! We're passengers!" Tobin holds the tickets up in the air to stop the officer.

Flushed and panting, she continues to wave the tickets. 

"Have you been through the inspection queue?" Moody questions but not bothered at the same time. 

"Of course! Anyway, we don't have lice, we're Americans." Tobin lies cheerfully. She looks at Alex next to her and points between them. "Both of us." Alex just nods with a sly smile. Moody's eyes flicker between the two, feeling testy.

"Right, come aboard." He sighs, shaking his head a little. Tobin and Alex grin at each other. 

Moody has Quatermaster Rown reattach the gangway, making Tobin and Alex come aboard quickly. Moody glances at the tickets, then passes Tobin and Alex through to Rowe. Rowe looks at the names on the tickets to enter them in the passenger list. 

"Gundersen. And..." He looks over to Alex's ticket. "Gundersen." 

He hands the tickets back, eyeing Alex's Mediterranean looks suspiciously. 

"Come on, Sydney." Tobin says grabbing onto Alex's arm, whose trying not to laugh. 

Tobin and Alex whoop with victory as they run down the white-painted corridor, grinning from ear to ear. 

"We are the luckiest sons of bitches in the world!" Tobin shouts laughing with Alex as they continue to run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How is it so far? Any mistakes?


	4. Chapter 4

The mooring lines, as big around as a man's arm, are dropped into the water. A cheer goes up on the pier as seven tugs pull the Titanic away from the quay. 

Near the front of the boat, Tobin and Alex burst through a door onto the ships well deck. They run across the deck and up the steel stairs to the poop deck. They get to the rail and Tobin starts to yell and wave to the crowd on the dock. 

"You know somebody?" Alex questions with a raised eyebrow. Tobin shakes her head.

"Of course not. That's not the point." She laughs and punches Alex arm who playfully rolls her eyes at her.

"Goodbye! Goodbye!! I'll miss you!" Tobin shouts turning back to the crowd below. 

Grinning, Alex joins in, adding her voice to the swell of voices, feeling the exhilaration of the moment. 

"Goodbye! I will never forget you!!" Alex shouts, her voice thick with excitement through that accent. 

The crowd cheering, sending well-wishers waves heartily as a black wall of metal moves past them. Impossibly tiny figues wave back from the ship's rails. Titanic starts to gather speed, starting it's beautifully tragic journey. 

The prow of Titanic is magnificent, being lead by the lead tug, which is dwarfed compared to the Titanic's size.. The bow wave spreads before the mighty plow of the liner's hull as it moves down the River Test toward the English Channel.

...

Tobin and Alex walk down a narrow corridor with doors lining both sides like a college dorm. Total confusion as people argue over luggage in several languages, or wander in confusion in the labyrinth. They pass emigrants studying the signs over the doors, and looking up the words in phrase books. 

They find their berth. It is a modest cubicle, painted enamel white, with four bunks. Exposed pipes overhead. The other women are already there, startled by the women's entrance. Ashlyn and Ali Krieger-Harris, Kristie and Sydney's best friends. 

Tobin introduces herself to the two women, shaking their hands vigorously while Alex settles for the top bunk. 

"Oi who said you can have the top bunk huh?" Tobin says as she turns around from Ashlyn and Ali. She slaps Alex's ass who give a dirty laugh. Tobin places her stuff in bottom bunk and gets herself sorted. 

"Where is Sydney?" Ali says looking at Ashlyn who just shrugs. 

...

By contrast, the so-called "Millionaire Suite" is in the Empire style, and comprises two bedrooms, a bath, wardrobe room, and a large sitting room. In addition there is a private 50 foot promenade deck outside. 

A room service waiter pours champagne into a tulip glass of orange juice and hands the Bucks Fizz to Christen. She is looking through her new paintings. There is a Monet of water lilies, a Degas of dancers, and a few abstract works. They are all unknown paintings, lost works. 

Cal is out on the covered deck, which has potted trees and vines on trellises, talking through the doorway to Christen in the sitting room. 

"Those mud puddles were certainly a waste of money." He says looking out the window, taking a swig of his drink. 

"You're wrong. They're fascinating. Like in a dream... there's truth without logic." Christen replies. 

What's his name again miss...?" Rose asks Christen. 

While looking at the portrait. "Something Picasso." Christen says. Cal chuckles at her while he makes his way into the sitting room.

"Something Picasso." He chuckles again. "He'll never amount to a thing, trust me. At least they were cheap." 

A porter wheels Cal's private safe into the room on a handtruck. Cal sees. 

"Put that in the wardrobe." He says simply. 

Christen enters with the large Degas of the dancers canvas. She sets it on the dresser, near the canopy bed. Rose is already in there, hanging up some of Christen's clothes. 

"It smells so brand new. Like they built it all just for us. I mean... just to think that tonight, when I crawl between the sheets, I'll be the first--" Rose says but is cut off by a deep voice. 

Cal appears in the doorway of the bedroom, looking at Christen.

"And when I crawl between the sheets tonight, I'll still be the first."

"S'cuse me, Miss." Rose blushes at the innuendo. 

She edges around Cal and makes a quick exit. Cal comes up behind Christen and puts his hands on her shoulders. An act of possession, not intimacy. 

"The first and only. Forever." He whispers into her ear. 

Christen's expression shows how bleak a prospect this is for her, now. 

...

Titanic stands silhouetted against a purple post-sunset sky. She is lit up like a floating palace, and her thousand portholes reflect in the calm harbor waters. The 150 foot tender Nomadic lies-to alongside, looking like a rowboat. The lights of a Cherbourg harbor complete the postcard image. 

Down on D deck, entering the first class reception room from the tender are a number of prominent passengers. A broad-shouldered woman in an enormous feathered hat comes up the gangway, carrying a suitcase in each hand, a spindly porter running to catch up with her to take the bags. 

"Well, I wasn't about to wait all day for you, sonny. Take 'em the rest of the way if you think you can manage." This straight forward, yet cheerful woman says. 

"At Cherbourg a woman came aboard named Margaret Brown, but we all called her Molly. History would call her the Unsinkable Molly Brown. Her husband had struck gold someplace out west, and she was what mother called "new money". Old Christen explains to the crewmen. (Over voice) 

Molly Brown is a tough talking straightshooter who dresses in the finery of her genteel peers but will never be one of them. 

"By the next afternoon we had made our final stop and we were steaming west from the coast of Ireland, with nothing out ahead of us but ocean..."

...

The ship glows with the warm creamy light of late afternoon. Tobin and Alex stand right at the bow gripping the curving railing. Tobin leans over, looking down fifty feet to where the prow cuts the surface like a knife, sending up two glassy sheets of water.

Up on the bridge, Captain Vlatko Andonovski turns from the binnacle to First Officer William Murdoch. 

"Take her to sea Mister Murdoch. Let's stretch her legs." Captain Andonovski says smiling, gazing back out to sea. 

Murdoch nods and moves the engine telegraph lever to All Ahead Full. 

In the engine room, the telegraph clangs and moves to "All Ahead Full". Chief engineer Bell notice this and smiles to himself before shouting to his men in the large engineer room. 

"All ahead full!" Everyone instantly gets to work. 

On the catwalk, Megan Rapinoe, the shipbuilder who pushed the patriarchy limits for the better in the working industry, watches carefully as the engineers and greasers scramble to adjust valves. 

Towering above them are the twin Reciprocating engines, four stories tall, their ten-foot-long connecting rods surging up and down with the turning of the massive crankshafts. The engines thunder like the footfalls of marching giants. 

Within the boiler rooms, the Stokers chant a song as they hurl coal into the roaring furnaces. The "black gang" are covered with sweat and coal dust, their muscles working like part of the machinery as they toil in the hellish glow to get the Titanic up to speed.

Under the water, the enormous bronze screws chop through the water, hurling the liner forward and churning up a vortex of foam that lingers for miles behind the juggernaut ship. Smoke pours from the funnels as the riven water flares higher at the bow as the ship's speeds builds. 

Captain Andonovski steps out of the enclosed bridge onto the wing. He stands with his hands on the rail, looking like every bit the storybook picture of a Captain, a great patriarch of the sea. 

"Twenty one knots, sir!" Officer Murdoch calls to the Captain. 

"She's got a bone in her teeth now, eh, Mr. Murdoch." The Captain says giddily, looking godly at every detail of the enchanted ship. 

Andonovski accepts a cup of tea from Fifth Officer Lowe. He contentedly watches the white V of water hurled outward from the bows like an expression of his own personal power. They are invulnerable, towering over the sea.

...

At the bow, Tobin and Alex lean far over, looking down to the majestic water. 

In the glassy bow-wave two dolphins appear, under the water, running fast just in front of the steel blade of the prow. They do it for the sheer joy and exultation of motion. Tobin watches the dolphins and grins. They breach, jumping clear of the water and then dive back, crisscrossing in front of the bow, dancing ahead of the juggernaut. 

"Hey! Look! You see them! Look at them jump."Tobin points down to the dolphins, making Alex look and laugh. "Woohoo!" Tobin laughs. 

Alex looks forward across the Atlantic, staring into the sun sparkles. 

"I can see the Statue of Liberty already." Grinning up at Tobin who was giving her a questionable look but with a smile. "Well very small... of course." They both laugh, Tobin hitting Alex lightly across the back of her head. To clear her lungs and to lower her adrenaline she's shouts out again. 

"I'm the Queen of the world!" She shouts as loud as she can. Alex shouts too, feeling the radiating joy from Tobin. "Wooooo!" 

Tobin shouts one final 'Wooo', putting her arms up like she is flying, hair blowing in the wind and closing her eyes in the process just taking in the moment while Alex stares out to the sea just below her. 

Next day, April 11th 1912...

Over the bridge wing, along the boat deck, with Titanic's vast funnels coming into view, marching past the pillars of heaven, one by one. Looking down the funnels, and to see the people strolling on the decks and standing at the rail become antlike. 

The great lady is seen whole in a gorgeous aerial portrait, black and severe in her majesty. 

"She is the largest moving object ever made by the hand of man in all history..." Says a man who definitely looks and sounds in upper class. 

Within the restaurant on ship, the man J. Bruce Ismay, Managing Director of White Star Line, speaking proud and true to the group he is with. 

"...and our master shipbuilder, Miss Rapinoe here, designed her from the keel plates up." 

He indicates a beautiful 39 year old Irish women to his right, Megan Rapinoe, of Harland and Wolf Shipbuilders. 

The group assembled for lunch the next day. Ismay seated with Cal, Christen, Stacy, Molly Brown and Megan Rapinoe in the Palm Court, a beautiful sunny spot enclosed by high arched windows. 

The marvellous women replies but disliking the attention. "Well, I may have knocked her together, but the idea was Mr. Ismay's. He envisioned a steamer so grand in scale, and so luxurious in its appointments, that its supremacy would never be challenged. And here she is..." She slows the table. "...willed into solid reality." She smiles. 

"Why're ships always bein' called "she"? Is it because men think half the women around have big sterns and should be weighed in tonnage?" Molly pips with the joke. They all laugh at her. 

This is just another example of the men settin' the rules their way, beside Megan of course. 

The waiter arrives to take orders at the table. Christen lights a cigarette. 

"You know I don't like that, Christen." Stacy says, Christen just looks her way and blows out the smoke which she inhaled a second prior. Her mother looks away unimpressed. Cal interjects. 

"She knows."Cal takes the cigarette from her and stubs it out. Christen just rolls her eyes.

"We'll both have the lamb. Rare, with a little mint sauce." Cal says to the waiter, ordering for Christen as well. The waiter nods and walks away. Cal turns to Christen before saying... "You like lamb, don't you sweetpea?" He says smiling. Christen doesn't answer, remains to herself. 

Molly is watching the dynamic between Christen, Cal and Stacy.

"So, you gonna cut her meat for her too there, Cal?" Molly jokes towards Cal but his smile fades slowly. When Molly sees the reaction she quickly turns to Ismay. 

"Hey, who came up with the name Titanic? Was it You, Bruce?" She smiles big. He nods towards her. 

"Yes, actually. I wanted to convey sheer size. And size means stability, luxury... and safety--" He gets interrupted by Christen. 

"Do you know of Dr. Freud? His ideas about the male preoccupation with size might be of particular interest to you, Mr. Ismay." Giving a smug look. 

Megan chockes on her breadstick, suppressing laughter. Christen's mother was not impressed. 

"My God, Rose, what's gotten into--" But Christen doesn't wait to listen. 

"Excuse me." Christen gets up and a stalks away. Stacy shakes her head and turns to the group, mortified. 

"I do apologize." She says, shaking her head again and tutting. Molly smirks. 

"She's a pistol, Cal. You sure you can handle her?" Molly chuckles. 

Cal tenses but feigning unconcern and replies. "Well, I may have to start minding what she reads from now on."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter for today, more soon :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas Eve!! 😁

Tobin sits on a bench in the sun, taking in the sea air and soft breeze, feeling like she's in paradise. Titanic's wake spreads out behind her to the horizon. She has her knees pulled up, supporting a leather bound sketching pad, her only valuable possession. With a short, charcoal crayon she draws rapidly, using sure strokes. 

An emigrant from Manchester named Cartmell has his 5 year old daughter Mallory standing on the lower rung of the rail. She is leaned back against his beer barrel of a stomach, watching the seagulls and waves below. 

The sketch captures them perfectly, with a great sense of the humanity of the moment. Tobin is good. Really good. Alex looks over Tobin's shoulder. She nods appreciatively at the sketch as she takes a stroke of her cigarette.

Kelley O'hara, a scowling young Irish emigrant, watches as a crewmember comes by, walking three small dogs around the deck. One of them, a black french bulldog is among the ugliest creatures on the planet, she believes. 

"That's typical. First class dogs come down here to take a shite." She shakes her head and takes a swig of her cigarette. 

Tobin looks up from her sketch. 

"That's so we know where we rank in the scheme of things." She says taking a look at the dogs then at the Irish women. 

"Like we could forget." Kelley huffs and blows out smoke. There's a pause in the air for a moment before the women speaks up and leans over to Tobin to shake her hand. 

"I'm Kelley O'hara." She shakes Tobin's hand firmly. 

"Tobin Heath." She says back with a smile. Kelley looks to the women next to Tobin and instantly thought she was gorgeous, she smirks. Alex smiles and holds her hand up to shake her hand. 

"Alex Morgan." She smiles sweetly. 

"Pleasure to meet ya." Kelley smiles and throws her cigarette over board but still holding Alex's hand in the other hand. "Pretty little ting, aren't ya?" She winks at Alex and pulls her hand away, Alex blushes. Tobin just chuckles to herself and shakes her head at the interaction they just had. 

Tobin glances across the well deck. At the ship   
railing of B deck promenade stands Christen, in a long yellow dress and white gloves, staring peacefully out to sea. 

Tobin watches and is unable to take her eyes off of her. They are across from each other, about 60 feet apart, with the well deck like a vast valley between them. Christen on her promontory, Tobin on her much lower one. Christen continues to stare down at the water. 

She watches her unpin her elaborate hat and take it off. She looks at the frilly absurd thing and she tosses it over the rail. It sails far down to the water and is carried away, floating backwards. A spot of yellow in the vast ocean. Tobin is fascinated by her. She looks like a figure in a romantic novel, sad and isolated. 

Alex taps Kelley who was lighting another cigarette and they both look at Tobin gazing at Christen. Alex and Kelley grin at each other, wiggling an eyebrow. They create small conversation for the time being.

Christen turns suddenly and looks right at Tobin. She is caught staring, but she doesn't look away. Christen does, but then looks back almost immediately. Their eyes meet across the space of the well deck, across the gulf between worlds. 

Tobin sees a man (Cal) come up behind her and take her arm. She jerks her arm away quickly, looking annoyed. It almost made Tobin jump up to help her but she knows she can't due to their levels in society. The two on the upper level argue as if they are in a pantomime. She storms away, and he goes after her, disappearing along the A-deck promenade. Tobin stares after her. 

"Forget it, lass. You'd as like have angels fly out o' yer arse than get next to the likes o' her." Kelley chuckles as she turns to see Christen disappearing, looking back at Tobin who stares until she completely out of sight, then looks at Kelley. Tobin just shrugs and goes back to her sketch. 

Kelley chuckles and looks at Alex, winking again. Alex bites her lip and smiles up at the standing woman. Sharing a soft moment.

April 12th 1912, night time...

Christen sits at the table in the dining room, flanked by people in heated conversation. Cal and Stacy are laughing together, while on the other side of Cal is Lady Ertz is holding forth animatedly. Christen doesn't hear what they are saying, not that she cares anyway. Christen is staring at her plate, barely listening to the inconsequential babble around her. 

"I saw my whole life as if I'd already lived it... an endless parade of parties and cotillions, yachts and polo matches... always the same narrow people, the same mindless chatter. I felt like I was standing at a great precipice, with no one to pull me back, no one who cared... or even noticed." Old Christen explains how she felt that night to Lovett. 

Christen's hand is holding a tiny fork from her crab salad. She pokes the crab-fork into the skin of her arm, harder and harder until it draws blood. But she stops immediately after she realises what she is doing. So she excuses herself, no one realising she has left the table anyway. 

Christen walks along the corridor. A steward coming the other way greets her, and she nods with a slight smile. She is perfectly composed on the outside but not on the wriggling inside. 

She enters her bedroom. She stands within the middle of the room, staring at her reflection in the large vanity mirror. 

Just stands there, but then... 

With a primal, anguished cry she claws at her throat, ripping off her pearl necklace, which explodes across the room, like ice crashing to the floor in shards. In a frenzy she tears at herself, her clothes, her hair... then attacks the room. She flings everything off the dresser and it flies clattering against the wall. She hurls a handmirror against the vanity, cracking it ever so slightly. 

Her pulse was risen and she couldn't control it, her breathing erratic, she felt like she was suffocating, she had to get out of the room so she launches for the door and dashes out. 

Christen runs along the B deck promenade. She is dishevelled, her hair flying. She is crying, her cheeks streaked with tears. But also angry, furious even! Shaking with emotions she doesn't completely understand... hatred, self-hatred, desperation. A strolling couple watch her pass. Shocked at the emotional display in public. They might recognise her and report her to her mother but at this point she could care less, so she continues her run for freedom which seems hopeless. 

Meanwhile, Tobin is kicked back on one of the benches gazing at the stars blazing gloriously overhead. Thinking artist thoughts and smoking a cigarette in peace. 

Hearing something, she sits up and turns as Christen runs up the stairs from the well deck. They are the only two on the stern deck, except for Quatermaster Rowe, twenty feet above them on the docking bridge catwalk. She doesn't see Tobin in the shadows, and runs right past her. 

Christen runs across the deserted fantail. Her breath hitches in an occasional sob, which she suppresses. Christen slams against the base of the stern flagpole and clings there, panting. She stares out at the black water and cold night sky.

She wonders over to the railing, waiting for a minute before starting to climb over the railing. She has to hitch her long dress way up, and her climbing is clumsy. Moving methodically she turns her body and gets her heels on the white-painted gunwale, her back to the railing, facing out toward blackness. 60 feet below her, the massive propellers are churning the Alantic waters into white foam, and a ghostly wake trails off toward the horizon. 

Christen standing like a figurehead in reverse looks further below her and there are the huge letters of the name "TITANIC". 

She leans out, her arms straightening... looking down hypnotized, into the vortex below her. Her dress and hair are lifted by the wind of the ship's movement. The only sound, above the rush of water below, is the flutter and snap of the big Union Jack flag right above her head. 

"Don't do it." A soft voice says.

She whips her head around at the sound of her voice. It takes a second for her eyes to focus from the slight change in lighting. Then Christen sees her, the intriguing women she saw ever so slightly earlier.

"Stay back! Don't come any closer!" Christen's voice rasps, hinted with the sound of a shiver. 

Tobin sees the tear tracks on her cheeks in the faint glow from the stern running lights. 

"Take my hand. I'll pull you back in." Tobin holds her spare hand out, the one not holding the cigarette, and edged just slightly forward but Christen sees this. 

"No! Stay where you are. I mean it. I'll let go." She quivers, facing outwards again but she hears Tobin move so she faces towards her. Tobin held her hands up. She takes one last stroke of her cigarette and signals to Christen that she's just moving to throw her cigarette over board, but in fact this was a way of getting closer. And it works. Tobin was now slightly behind Christen to her left. 

It's quiet for a moment. 

"No you won't." Tobin speaks up, hands in her trouser pockets. Christen gives her a pointed look, disbelief almost. 

"What do you mean no I won't? Don't presume to tell me what I will and will not do. You don't know me." Christen shakes her head. 

"You would have done it already." Gesturing to how long it's been and how close she is to her. "Now come on, take my hand." Tobin holds her hand out again, having a soft gaze. 

Christen is confused now. She can't see her very well through the tears, so she wipes them with one hand, almost losing her balance. Tobin notices this and moves that slightly more closer. 

"You're distracting me. Go away." Christen huffs, staring at the Black Sea. 

"I can't. I'm involved now. If you let go I have to jump in after you." Tobin shrugs like it's nothing. Christen gives out a quick and dry laugh.

"Don't be absurd. You'll be killed." Looking at her. 

Tobin takes off her warm jacket, showing off her torn, long sleeve shirt which is rolled to the elbows and suspender braces. 

"I'm a good swimmer." Tobin says factly. She starts unlacing her left shoe. 

"The fall alone would kill you." Christen says but Tobin doesn't care, continues to unlace her left shoe. Tobin looks up at Christen as she does so.

"It would hurt. I'm not saying it wouldn't. To be honest I'm a lot more concerned about the water being so cold." Tobin looks quickly and points at the water below them. 

Christen looks down too. The reality factor of what she is doing is sinking in, making her face go a little pale. 

"How cold?" Christen slowly turns to Tobin who is taking off her left shoe. 

"Freezing. Maybe a couple degrees over."She starts unlacing her right shoe now. "Ever been to Wisconsin?" 

Christen looks at Tobin puzzled. "No." 

"Well they have some of the coldest winters around, and I grew up there, near Chippewa Falls. Once when I was a kid me and my father were ice-fishing out on Lake Wissota... ice-fishing's where you chop a hole in the--" Tobin gets cut off by the irritated woman. 

"I know what ice fishing is!" She shakes her head and looks at the water with a huff. Tobin once again puts her hands up. 

"Sorry. Just... you look like kind of an indoor girl." Tobin shrugs with the tiniest smile. "Anyway, I went through some thin ice and I'm tellin' ya, water that cold... like that right down there... it hits you like a thousand knives all over your body. You can't breath, you can't think... least not about anything but the pain." She takes of her right shoe with a grunt. "Which is why I'm not looking forward to jumping in after you." She stands up straight, ready for action when needed. "But like I said, I don't see a choice. I guess I'm kinda hoping you'll come back over the rail and get me off the hook here." Tobin has a hopefully glint in her eyes which Christen can see now as the tears fade away a bit. 

"You're crazy." Christen says disbelieved but softly. 

"That's what everybody says. But with all due respect, I'm not the one hanging off the back of a ship." She says carefully. 

She slides one step closer, like moving up on a spooked horse who could kick out at anytime. 

"Come on. You don't want to do this. Give me your hand." Tobin once again puts out her right hand towards Christen. 

Christen stares at this madwoman for a long time. She looks at her eyes and they somehow suddenly seem to fill her universe. She finally gives in. 

"Alright." She sighs. Christen slowly turns. 

She unfastens one hand from the rail and reaches it around towards Tobin, who reaches out to take it her hand firmly. Once their hands have linked, Tobin steps closer so they are face to face, only the railing separating them. Tobin smiles at Christen. 

"I'm Tobin Heath." Tobin says looking deeply into Christen's eyes. 

"Pleased to meet you, Miss Heath." Christen says with a quivering voice. "I'm Christen Press." Tobin smiles again. 

"Christen Press huh? Glad to finally have a girl not write down a ridiculously long name." Tobin chuckles and gets her first real, light hearted laugh out of Christen. 

"Now come on... let's get you over safely." Tobin says softly and Christen nods. 

Now that Christen has decided to live, the height is terrifying. She is overcome by vertigo as she shifts her footing, ready to start climbing, holding onto Tobin's hands. As she starts to climb, her dress gets in the way, and one foot slips off the edge of the deck. 

She plunges, letting out a bloody murder, piercing shriek. Tobin, gripping her hand, is jerked toward the rail. Christen barely grabs the lower rail with her free hand. She's screaming hysterically, thinking this really is the end. 

Quatermaster Rowe, up on the docking bridge hears the scream and heads for the ladder quickly as possible. 

"HELP! HELP!!" Christen cries out, scared to death she's gonna fall. 

"I've got you. I won't let go." Tobin says surprisingly calmly as she grunt to hoist Christen over and back safely over the rail. Christen looks into her eyes, seeing that Tobin is speaking true. 

Tobin holds her hand with all her strength, bracing herself on the railing with her other hand. Christen tries to get some kind of foothold on the smooth hull but it's useless, all though she keeps trying. Tobin tries to lift Christen bodily over the railing, adrenaline pumping quickly as she does so. Christen can't get any footing in her dress and evening shoes, and she slips back again. Christen screams terrified once again. 

Tobin, awkwardly clutching Christen by whatever she can get a grip on as the woman flails. Luckily though, after what seems like forever, with one final tremendous pull, Tobin gets her back over the railing. They fall together onto the deck in a tangled heap, spinning in such a way that Tobin winds up slightly on top of her. 

Rowe slides down the ladder from the docking bridge like it's a fire drill and sprints across the fantail like his life depends on it, in this case someone else's life. 

"Here, what's all this?!" He shouts as he approaches. 

Rowe runs up and pulls Tobin off of Christen, revealing her dishevelled and sobbing on the deck. Her dress is torn, and the hem is pushing up above her knees, showing one ripped stocking. He looks at Tobin, the shaggy, masculine steerage woman with her jacket and boots off, and the first class lady clearly in distress, and he starts drawing conclusions far too quickly. The Quatermaster's face draws pale but then to rage. Two seamen chug across the deck to join them. Rowe looks at Tobin with fire in his eyes. 

"Here you, stand back! Don't move an inch!" He points and shouts at Tobin. All Tobin could do was stand up and back off with her hands up slightly, trying to show she meant no harm to the other woman on the floor. 

Rowe turns to the seamen. 

"Fetch the Master at Arms. Now!" He grudges out and then turns his full focus back onto Tobin. They both run to find this Master at Arms. 

Christen starts to sit up a bit, breathing steadying slowly. Which in Tobin's case does not help as it seems to Rowe that he just saved Christen from a terrible tragedy and now she's starting to calm from his presence. 

"It's gonna be a long night." Tobin thinks to herself, giving the stare back to Rowe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can we all appreciate the post that Christen posted btw.... absolutely shooked 😆
> 
> “You’re welcome...” 🤣


	6. Chapter 6

A few minutes later. Tobin is being detained by the burly Master at Arms, the closest thing to a cop on board the vessel. He is handcuffing Tobin. Cal is right in front of Tobin and is furious. 

He has obviously just rushed out here with Servando and another man, and none of them have coats over their black tie evening dress. The other man is Colonel Archibald Gracie, a mustachioed blowhard who still has his brandy snifter. He offers it to Christen, who is hunched over crying on a bench nearby, but she waves it away immediately. 

Cal is more concerned with Tobin, He grabs her by the collar, staring into her eyes. It doesn't faze Tobin at all though, she just stares at him like she did with Rowe. 

"What made you think you could put your hands on my fiancee?! Look at me, you filth! What did you think you were doing?!" Cal shouts into Tobin's face, a little bit of spits lands on her cheek. She's doesn't care, not like the first time she's been spat upon by higher class people. 

However, Christen comes to her aid. She stands up quickly and pushes in between a cuffed Tobin and Cal. Before making her voice known. 

"Cal, stop! It was an accident." Cal turns to Christen and looks at her like she has grown two heads. 

"An accident?!" He raises his voice slightly. 

"It was... stupid really. I was leaning over and I slipped." 

Christen looks at Tobin, getting eye contact. 

"I was leaning way over, to see the... ah..."She couldn't think of the word of the mechanism below which is moving the boat so she is making noises and spinning her hand to get Cal to catch on. 

He rolls his eyes and huffs out. "Propellers?" 

"Right! Propellers." Christen continues and gets another eye roll from Cal but didn't see the small smirk Tobin had on her face. "And I slipped and I would have gone overboard... and Miss Heath here saved me and she almost went over herself." Gesturing a hand towards Tobin who gives a small smile, looking between Cal and Christen. 

"You wanted to see the propellers?" Cal questions. "She wanted to see the propellers." He looks around at the men next to him, chuckling in disbelief which almost was patronising towards Christen. 

The Colonel shakes his head and projects out proudly. "Women and machinery do not mix. Not one bit. Besides the lovely Miss Rapinoe of course... but still!" This causes Tobin to give a small eye roll but doesn't show it to the others cause she didn't want anymore trouble. 

The Master at Arms behind Tobin speaks up. "Was that the way of it?" Tobin looks at Christen. 

Christen is begging her with her eyes not to say what really happened. Tobin nods slowly. 

"Uh huh. That was pretty much it." Trying to look back at the Master at Arms. 

She looks at Christen a moment longer, giving a soft smile. Now they have a secret together. 

"Well! The girl's a hero then. Good for you lass, well done!" Colonel Gracie pats Tobin on the back, roughly, before he turns to Cal. "So it's all's well and back to our brandy, eh?" He gives a rough laugh. 

Tobin is uncuffed. Cal grabs Christen's arm to start moving. But Cal stops and rubs her arms vigorously. 

"Let's get you in. You're freezing." He says. 

Cal is leaving without a second thought for Tobin saving Christen from death. 

Colonel Gracie clears his throat and gives Cal a pointed look. "Ah... perhaps a little something for the boy?" He says as Cal turns and Gracie points at Tobin, who is staring at Cal. 

"Oh, right." Cal smirks. "Mr. Carrasco. A twenty should do it." Cal goes to turn again but is stopped by Christen this time. 

"Is that the going rate for saving the woman you love?" She says, pretending to be offended cause she knows he doesn't really love her, it's all about money and status quo to Cal. 

"Christen is displeased. Mmm... what to do?" He thinks for a moment and then smirks. 

Cal turns back to Tobin. He appraises her condescendingly... a steerage ruffian, unwashed and ill-mannered. 

"I know." Cal smirks, he looks into Tobin eyes who is showing no emotion. "Perhaps you could join us for dinner tomorrow, to regale our group with your heroic tale?" 

Shocked by the offer, but doesn't show it, Tobin looks straight at Christen who has an uneasy expression on her face. Tobin wants to show Christen she's not patronised by Carl's upper class ego and agrees to the offer. 

"Sure. Count me in." She smiles. 

Cal smirks at her bigger. "Good. Settled then."

Cal turns to go, putting a protective arm around Christen. He leans close to Gracie as they walk away. 

"This should be amusing." He chuckles lowly making sure Christen doesn't hear. 

Now alone was Servando and Tobin. Servando passes by Tobin, following his 'Master'. But he is stopped by her. 

"Can I bum a cigarette?" She ask politely. 

Servando smoothly draws a silver cigarette case from his jacket and snaps it open. Tobin takes a cigarette, then another, popping it behind her ear for later. Servando lights Tobin's cigarette. 

"You'll want to tie those." Servando smugly says. 

Tobin looks down to her shoes, then looking back at Servando and shrugs with the cigarette hanging out her mouth. 

"Interesting that the young lady slipped so mighty all of a sudden and you still had time to take of your jacket and shoes. Mmmm?" Servando's expression is bland, but the eyes are cold. He turns away to join his group. All Tobin could do was watch him go as she blows out smoke.

...

As she undresses for bed Christen sees Cal standing in her doorway, reflected in the cracked mirror of her vanity. He comes toward her and shuts off her musical jewellery box, he sits down on her dresser she is sat at. 

In an unexpectedly tender manor, Cal addresses Christen. "I know you've been melancholy, and I don't pretent to know why." Christen studies him with a soft look.

From behind his back he hands her a large black velvet jewel case. She takes it, numbly. 

"I intended to save this till the engagement gals next week. But I thought tonight, perhaps a reminder of my feelings for you..." He smiles graciously.

Christen slowly opens the box. Inside is the necklace 'Heart of the Ocean' in all its glory. It is huge... a malevolent blue stone glittering with an infinity of scalpel-like inner reflections. Christen eyes are wide. 

"My God... Cal. Is it a--" She gasps. 

"Daimond." He smirks like it's nothing. "Yes it is. 56 carats." 

He takes the necklace and places it around her throat. He turns her to the mirror, staring behind her. 

"It was once worn by Louis the Sixteenth. They call it Le Coeur de la Mer, the--" 

"The Heart of the Ocean. Cal, it's... it's overwhelming." Christen finishes his sentence, still with slightly wide eyes and a small gaping mouth. 

He gazes at the image of the two of them in the mirror. 

"It's for royalty. And we are royalty." He whispers softly to her ear, not a side to Cal you see often. 

His fingers caress her neck and throat. He seems himself to be disarmed by Christen's elegance and beauty. His emotion is, for the first time, unguarded. 

"There's nothing I couldn't give you. There's nothing I'd deny you if you would deny me. Open your heart to me, Christen." His voice is soft and gentle. He places a small kiss to Christen's head. 

Christen was still in a star of shock to even react to the emotion and the kiss Cal has given her. 

Present day on the Russian research ship...

"Of course his gift was only to reflect light back onto himself, to illuminate the greatness that was Caledon Hockley. It was a cold stone... a heart of ice." Old Christen explains, not much emotion in her words. 

Everyone looks into Christen's eyes which have taken the 84 years glow from the Titanic as she is true to her words. 

The wrinkled, weathered landscape of age has appeared around her eyes for sure but the eyes themselves are the same from the days she lives on the Titanic. 

"After all these years, feel it closing around my throat like a dog collar." Christen croaks out as she remembers wearing the necklace vividly. "I can still feel its weight. If you could have felt it, not just seen it..." 

"Well, that's the general idea, my dear." Lovett says to Christen, who gives a small smile, her wrinkles multiplying. 

"So let me get this right. You were gonna kill yourself by jumping off the Titanic?" Bodine jumps in. Christen nods and he laughs light heartedly. "That's great!" Lovett turns to him with an unimpressed looks. 

"Lewis..." He warns but Christen laughs with Bodine. 

"All you had to do was wait two days!" Bodine says still laughing. 

Lovett, standing out of Christen's sightline, checks his watch. Hours have passed. This process is taking too long. 

"Christen, tell us more about the diamond. What did Hockley do with it after that?" Lovett asks, his voice becoming desperate but he doesn't get the answer he hopes for." 

"Im afraid I'm feeling a little tired, Mr. Lovett." Christen says as her eyes dropped a little by tiredness. 

Emily picks up the cue and starts to wheel her out. 

"Wait! Can you give us something go on, here. Like who had access to the safe. What about this Servando guy? The valet. Did he have the combination?" Lovett calls out desperately more than ever to just find an answer on this precious neckless but Emily is quick to intervene. 

"That's enough." Emily says bluntly with her hand out to stop Lovett patronising her grandmother. 

Emily takes her out. Christen's old hand reapears at the doorway in a frail wave goodbye. 

Lovett sighs in defeat knowing he's gonna have to wait on the old lady. 

The next day...

As the big hydraulic jib swings one of the Mir subs out over the water. Lovett walks as he talks with Bobby Buell, the partners' rep. They weave among deck cranes, launch crew, sub maintenance guys. 

"The partners are pissed." Bobby states. 

"Bobby, buy me time. I need time." Lovett grumbles to Bobby, hoping that he would. Bobby shakes his head.

"We're running thirty thousand a day, and we're six days over. I'm telling you what they're telling me. The hand is on the plug. It's starting to pull." He says point blank to Lovett. 

"Well you tell the hand I need another two days!" Lovett exclaims. Lovett stops in his tracks and stops Bobby too by placing his hands on the man's chest. "Bobby, Bobby, Bobby... we're close! I smell it. I smell ice. She had the diamond on... now we just have to find out where it wound up. I just gotta work her a bit more. Okay?" Lovett gives him a hopeful and tired glare. Bobby just nods. 

Brock turns and sees Emily standing behind him. She has overheard the past part of his dialogue with Bobby. He goes to her and hustles her away from Bobby, toward a quite spot on the deck. 

"Hey, Emily. I need to talk to you for a second." He smiles. 

"Don't you mean work me?" She crosses her arms with an unimpressed looks. Lovett sighs, his smile long gone. 

"Look, I'm running out of time. I need your help." He says hopefully for the millionth time. Emily scoffs. 

"I'm not going to help you browbeat my hundred and one year old grandmother. I came down here to tell you to back off." Emily announces. Lovett gives her a look full of desperation.

"Emily... you gotta understand something. I've bet it all to find the Heart of the Ocean. I've got all my dough tied up in this thing. My wife even divorced me over this hunt. I need what's locked inside your grandma's memory." He holds out his hand towards her. "You see this? Right here?"

She looks at his hand, palm up. Empty. Cupped, as if around an imaginary shape. 

"What?" Emily questions, more confused than ever. 

"That's the shape my hand's gonna be when I hold that thing. You understand? I'm not leaving here without it." He says stubbornly, Emily rolls her eyes but feels the need in Lovett that she knows he has been working hard for this artefact. She sighs.

"Look, Brock, she's going to do this her way, in her own time. Don't forget, she contacted you. She's out here for her own reasons, God knows what they are." Emily makes a good point towards him. 

"Maybe she wants to make peace with the past." Lovett says after thinking for a minute. Emily raises an eyebrow.

"What past? She has never once, not once, ever said a word about being on the Titanic until two days ago." 

"Then we're all meeting your grandmother for the first time." He smiles softly. 

Emily looks at him hard, not a flaw in her face. 

"You think she was really there?"

"Oh, yeah. Yeah, I'm a believer. She was there." He nods his head a few times. 

Emily just sighs and looks at him. 

...

Bodine starts the tape recorder. Christen is gazing at the screen seeing the live feed from the wreck. The submarine is moving along the starboard side of the hull. The rectangular windows of A deck march past on the right. 

This encourages Christen to continue the story, everyone around is listening intensely. 

"The next day, Saturday, I remember thinking how the sunlight felt..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More chapters tomorrow! Just for Christmas 😁


	7. Chapter 7

April 13th 1912, Day time...

Christen walks into the sunlight that shone proudly on the ships deck, she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, letting the sun radiate her skin for a moment before she continues walking. She is stunningly dressed and walking with purpose somewhere. 

"As if I hadn't felt the sun in years." Old Christen voices to Lovett and his team. 

Christen unlatches the gate to go down into third class. The steerage men on the deck stop what they're doing and stare at her like she is crazy. 

In the 3rd class general room, it was the social center of steerage life. It is stark by comparison to the opulence of first class, but is a loud, boisterous place. There are mothers with babies, kids running between the benches yelling in several languages and being scolded in several more. There are old women yelling, men playing chess, girls doing needlepoint and reading dime novels. There is even an upright piano and Keeley O'hara is noodling around it. 

Three boys, shrieking and shouting, are scrambling around chasing a rat under the benches, trying to whomp it with a shoe and causing general havoc. Tobin is playing with 5 year old Mallory, drawing funny faces together in her sketchbook. Both laughing at their creations. 

Beside them, Alex is struggling to get a conversation going with an attractive Norwegian girl, Helga Dahl, sitting with her family at a table across the room. 

"No Italian? Some little English?" Alex tries but it's getting no where with the girl. 

"No, no. Norwegian. Only." The Norwegian accent is strong with Helga, Alex gives up by putting here head down and sighing. She soon brings it back up again when she feels the girl leave to go back with her family. 

Kelley walks over to her. 

"Your charm clearly ain't workin' Lass, why not try having a conversation with someone who'd understand yer." Kelley says as she smokes her cigarette and smirks.. Alex nods her head smiling shyly looking into Kelley's eyes, tracing every freckle on her face. 

Beside them again are Ashlyn and Ali, who they have all grown close to. They were in general conversation when something catches Ashlyn's eye and she just stares. Ali gets confused and follows Ashlyn's stare, mouth gaping when she sees. She hits Alex in her arm who frowns at her for disrupting Kelley and her getting to know each other but that frown soon goes when Ali points to the scene in front of her. 

People hush across the whole room cause Tobin to look up from her sketch book, she sees her friends and majority of the room, including the little girl beside her, staring at something. She follows their stares and her eyes slightly go wide at what she sees. 

Christen, coming toward them. The activity in the room has stopped completely. Christen feels suddenly self-conscious as the steerage passengers stare openly at this princess, some with resentment, others with awe. She spots Tobin and gives a little smile, walking straight to her without question. Tobin rises to meet her, smiling. Christen clears her throat.

"Hello Tobin." She greets her carefully. 

Alex, Kelley, Ashlyn and Ali are floored, smiling wide and laughing lowly to each other at what is happening before them. Its like the slipper fitting Cinderella.

"Hello again." Tobin says calmly. Christen looks around then, still having everyone's gaze upon them, she looks quickly back at Tobin. 

"Could I speak to you in private?" Christen says quickly, hoping Tobin will agree sooner rather than later. 

"Uh, yes. Of course. After you." Tobin says softly. 

She motions her ahead and follows. Tobin glances over his shoulder, one eyebrow raised when she hears a chorus of low 'ooos' by the four other girls who are laughing at her, Kelley being nearest Tobin quickly hits her around the head with her sketch papers. Which caused more laughter and a 'Hey!' By Kelley. Tobin smirks and turns to jog up to catch up with Christen, she walks out with her leaving a stunned silence still by most of steerage, apart from the four women. 

...

The two women had made their way up to boat deck which is the first class part of the boat. Tobin had suggested it to make Christen feel more comfortable as she didn't mind the rich people look down their high noses to her, Tobin was used to it. 

Tobin and Christen walk side by side. They pass people reading and talking in steamer chairs, some of whom glance curiously at the mismatched couple, which was suspected. Tobin did feel a little out of place in her rough clothes however, just seeing loads of people in nice clothes for a long time made her feel that way even if she was used to their criticism. 

They are both awkward, for different reasons. 

Christen decided to speak up. 

"Miss Heath, I..." 

"Tobin." She said simply looking into Christen's eyes as the walked gently. Christen chuckles nervously. 

"Tobin.. I feel like such an idiot. It took me all morning to get up the nerve to face you." Christen admits out loud. 

"Well, here you are." Tobin smiles. 

"Here I am. I... I want to thank you for what you did. Not just for... for pulling me back. But for your discretion." They come to a halt as Christen says this, appreciation written in her eyes for Tobin to see. 

"You're welcome. Christen." Tobin smiles again but Christen sighs and exaggerates, using her arms in gestures. 

"Look, I know what you must be thinking! Poor little rich girl. What does she know about misery?" She turns away from Tobin to look out at the water. But Tobin was quick with her words. 

"That's not what I was thinking. What I was thinking was... what could have happened to hurt this girl so much she though she had no way out." This cause Christen to turn back to her. 

"I don't... it wasn't just one thing. It was everything. It was them, it was their whole world. And I was trapped in it, like an insect in amber." Christen rushes out her rant to Tobin, finally feeling comfortable with her presence but also knowing Tobin is the only person who listens to her truly. "I just had to get away... just run and run and run... and then I was at the back rail and there was no more ship... even the Titanic wasn't big enough. Not enough to get away from them. And before I'd really though about it, I was over the rail. I was so furious. I'll show them. They'll be sorry!" Christen huffs at the last bit, looking at Tobin for her reply. 

"Uh huh. They'll be sorry. 'Cause you'll be dead." Tobin makes a good point which causes Christen to lower her head in shame. 

"Oh God, I am such an utter fool." Christen rubs her brow. 

"That penguin last night, is he one of them?" Tobin questions, curious about the man being protective of her and a damn right dick from last night. 

"Penguin?" Christen looks at her momentarily confused before she realises who she is on about. "Oh, Cal! He is them." Nodding her head slightly. 

"Is he your boyfriend?"

"Worse I'm afraid." 

Tobin raises an eyebrow. Christen sees the wonder in Tobin's eyes and decided to put her out of her misery. 

She shows Tobin her engagement ring. A sizable diamond to say the least. Tobin's mouth gaped a bit but she takes the girl's hand in hers and grins. 

"Gawd look at that thing! You would have gone straight to the bottom." Tobin jokes as she lets Christen's hand go. 

They laugh together. A passing steward scowls at Tobin, who is clearly not a first class passenger, but Christen just glares at him away before he says anything. Tobin turns into serious conversation again.

"So you feel like you're stuck on a train you can't get off 'cause you're marryin' this fella. Huh?" She raises her eyebrow. 

"Yes, exactly!" Christen clarifies. 

"So don't marry him." Tobin shrugs easily, Christen face sinks a little. 

"If only it were that simple." She sighs softly to Tobin. 

"It is that simple." Tobin says not really having a clue what first class is about. She just thinks it's easy, if you don't love someone, don't marry them. 

"Oh, Tobin..." Christen sighs again, placing a gentle hand on the slightly taller girl's chest as she looks into her eyes. "Please don't judge me until you've seen my world." Christen smiles sadly, removing her hand. Tobin gives a slow nod. 

"Well, I guess I will tonight." Tobin says just above a whisper. 

Looking for another topic, any other topic, Christen indicates Tobin's sketchbook. 

"What's this?" Christen smiles. 

"Just some sketches." Tobin shrugs looking at the thing in her hand. 

"May I?" Christen raises an eyebrow. 

The question is rhetorical because she has already grabbed the book before Tobin could answer. She sits on a deck chair and opens the sketchbook, Tobin following her lead to sit down too. 

Looking at the sketches, each one has an expressive little bit of humanity: an old woman's hands, a sleeping man, a father and daughter at the rail. The faces are luminous and alive. Her book is a celebration of the human condition. Christen mouth gapes slightly. 

"Tobin, these are quite good!" She flicks through the pages. "Really, they are." She smiles. 

Some loose sketches fall out and are taken by the wind. Tobin scrambles after them... catching two, but the rest are gone, over the rail.

"Oh no! Oh, I'm so sorry. Truly!" Christen gasps. 

"Well, they didn't think too much of 'em in Paree." Tobin sighs as she watches the papers land in the water and sink, gone for good. "I just seem to spew 'em out. Besides, they're not worth a damn anyway." She laughs as she turns to Christen. Christen gives her a raise eyebrow. 

For emphasis, she throws away the two she caught. They sail off like the others, heading downwards to the sea. 

"You're deranged!" Laughing at Tobin's previous action, Tobin just smiles at her and sits back down beside her. 

Christen goes back to the book, turning a page. 

"Well, well..." She says lowly, Tobin just has a small smirk as she watches Christen's reactions to the upcoming drawings. 

Christen has come upon a series of nudes. She is transfixed by the languid beauty Tobin has created. The nudes are soulful, real, with expressive hands and eyes. They feel more like portraits than studies of the human form... almost uncomfortably intimate. Christen blushes, raising the book to her chest as some strollers go by. Christen clears her throat, trying to remain adult. 

"And these were drawn from life?" She asks as she allows her finger to trace the drawing. 

"Yup. That's one of the great things about Paris. Lots of girls willing take their clothes off." Tobin smirks while Christen blushes deeper. 

Christen studies one drawing in particular, the girl posed half in sunlight, half in shadow. Her hands lie at her chin, one furled and one open like a flower, languid and graceful. The drawing is like an Alfred Steiglitz print of Georgia O'Keefe. 

"You liked this woman. You used her several times." She says, still tracing the drawing with her finger. 

"She had beautiful hands." Tobin sighs with a smile. 

Christen grins. "I think you must have had a love affair with her..." 

"No, no! Just with her hands." Tobin laughs. Christen looks up softly. 

"You have a gift, Tobin. You do. You see people." 

"I see you." Tobin says staring into Christen's eyes who is doing the same, Christen is clearly stricken in the best way possible by Tobin's words. 

"And...?" 

"You wouldn'ta jumped." Tobin whispers, for just her and Christen to hear. They stare for a bit into each other's eyes. 

...

Stacy is having tea with Noel Lucy Martha Dyer-Edwardes and the Countess of Rothes, a 35ish English blue-blood with patirician features. Stacy sees someone coming across the room and lowers her voice. 

"Oh no, that vulgar Brown woman is coming this way. Get up, quickly before she sits with us."

Molly Brown walks up, greeting them cheerfully as they are rising. 

"Hello girls, I was hoping I'd catch you at tea." Molly says cheerfully with a great smile. 

"We're awfully sorry you missed it. The Countess and I are just off to take the air on the boat deck." Stacy smiles stiffly. 

"That sounds great. Let's go. I need to catch up on the gossip." Molly says keeping her toothy smile. 

Stacy grits her teeth as the three of them head for the Grand Staircase to go up.

Bruce Ismay and Captain Andonovski are at another table. 

"So you've not lit the last four boilers then?" Ismay says as he sips some tea. 

"No, but we're making excellent time." Captain Andonovski smiles, playing a little with his cup in his hands. Ismay rolls his eye impatiently. 

"Captain, the press knows the size of Titanic, let them marvel at her speed too. We must give them something new to print. And the maiden voyage of Titnaic must make headlines!" Bruce points out like it's a hand written fact. 

"I prefer not to push the engines until they've been properly run in." Captain Andonovski says, sticking to his guns and gut feeling. But Bruce still pushes a little. 

"Of course I leave it to your good offices to decide what's best, but what a glorious end to your last crossing if we get into New York Tuesday night and surprise them all." Bruce slaps his hands on the table and smirks. "Retire with a bang, eh, Captain A?" 

A beat again, Captain Andonovski nods, stiffy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you all had a brilliant day! 💙🎄


	8. Chapter 8

Painted with an orange light, the sun sets in the sky around Titanic. Tobin and Christen lean on the A-deck rail, shoulder to shoulder. The ship's lights come on. 

It is a magical moment... perfect. 

"So then what, Miss Wandering Heath?" Christen asks about Tobin's past stories as they both stare out to sea. 

"Well, then logging got to be too much like work, so I went down to Los Angelas to the pier in Santa Monica. That's a swell place, they even have a rollercoaster. I sketched portraits there for ten cents a piece." She says in a chuffed tone. 

"A whole ten cents?!" Christen gasps pretending to be shocked while looking at Tobin. Tobin raises an eyebrow causing Christen to roll her eyes and chuckles to herself for Tobin innocently not getting her joke. 

"Yeah; it was great money... I could make a dollar a day, sometimes. But only in summer. When it got cold, I decided to go to Paris and see what the real artists were doing." She smiles and so does Christen. 

Christen looks back to the dusk skyline. 

"Why can't I be like you Tobin? Just head out for the horizon whenever I feel like it." Christen turns to face Tobin again. "Say we'll go there, sometime... to that pier... even if we only ever just talk about it." Tobin smiles at her sweetly. 

"Alright, we're going. We'll drink cheap beer and go on the rollercoaster until we throw up and we'll ride horses on the beach... right in the surf... but you have to ride like a cowboy, none of that side-saddle stuff." She gives her a pointed look with a small grin. 

"You mean one leg on each side? Scandalous! Can you show me?" Christen is more giddy then ever.

"Sure. If you like." Tobin nods. "My father taught me ways of being free and do what you want, that's why some think I have a personality of a man and do things like a man." Tobin shrugs with a laugh. Christen smiles at her.

"Well I think I would. I want that freedom like you." Christen looks back to the horizon. "And teach me to spit too. Like a man. Why should only men be able to spit. It's unfair." Tobin laughs at her.

"They didn't teach you that in finishing school? Here, it's easy. Watch closely." Tobin straightens her back and fully faces out to the water. 

"No! Not here Tobin." Christen whisper shouts looking around them, seeing they are getting some attention from the upper class people and they are giving them disgusted looks already. Tobin doesn't care. 

She spits. It arcs out over the water with hella force. 

"That's disgusting." Christen gasps but laughs ever so slightly. Tobin looks at her grinning. 

"Your turn." 

Christen looks around them again before she decides to give it a try. 

Christen screws up her mouth and spits. A pathetic little bit of foamy spittle which mostly runs down her chin before falling off into the water. 

"Nope, that was pitiful. Here, like this... you hawk it down... HHHNNNK!... then roll it on your tongue, up to the front, like thith, then a big breath and PLOOOW!! You see the range on that thing?" Throughout the whole thing Tobin was making lots of noise getting every bit of slither from her throat and mouth, this for sure turned more heads of upper class who were beyond disgusted of the steerage woman. 

Christen goes through the steps. Hawks it down, etc. Tobin coaches her through it, while doing the steps herself. Christen lets fly. So does Tobin. Two comets of gob fly out over the water. 

"That was great!" Tobin praises her with a laugh. 

Christen turns to her, her face alight. Suddenly she blanches. Tobin sees her expression and turns around to look behind herself 

Stacy, the Countess of Rothes, and Molly Brown have been watching them hawking lugees. Christen becomes instantly composed. 

"Mother, may I introduce Tobin Heath." Christen says after clearing her throat and resting her hand on Tobin's arm. 

"Charmed, I'm sure." Stacy gives Tobin a vague stare, unimpressed written all over her face. 

Tobin has a little spit running down her chin. She doesn't know it. Molly Brown is grinning at them. As Christen proceeds with the introductions...

"The others were gracious and curious about the woman who'd saved my life. But my mother looked at her like an insect. A dangerous insect which must be squashed quickly." Old Christen tells Lovett. 

"Well, Tobin, it sounds like you're a good woman to have around in a sticky spot--" Molly get cut off suddenly. 

They all jump as a horn sounds, the meal call, right behind them. 

"Why do they insist on always announcing dinner like a damn cavalry charge?" Molly continues with a laugh, Christen is thankful for the save and moves quickly to get her mother going. Christen goes to her mother and link arms.

"Shall we go dress, mother?" Christen looks over her shoulder to Tobin. "See you at dinner, Tobin." Who nods at her. They start to walk away and Tobin hears Christen's mother one last time.

"Christen, look at you... out in the sun with no hat. Honestly!" 

The Countess exits with Stacy and Christen, leaving Tobin and Molly alone on deck. Tobin, however, is staring at Christen as she leaves. 

"Hey love." Molly says loudly but doesn't get Tobin's attention right away so she waves a hand in her face. This does get Tobin to look at her. "Love, do you have the slightest comprehension of what you're doing?" Tobin shrugs at her.

"Not really."

"Well, you're about to go into the snakepit. I hope you're ready." Molly says being very honest which Tobin appreciates. "What are you planning to wear?"

Tobin looks down at her clothes then back up at Molly. She hadn't thought about that.

"I figured." Molly sighs at her. "Come on dear, let's get you ready." Molly grins at Tobin who smiles back. Molly latches into Tobin's arm and guides her to her stateroom. 

In Molly's stateroom...

Women's dresses and jackets and formal wear are strewn all over the place. Molly is having a fine time. 

They have picked out a beautifully stitch, black women's suit, it isn't know for many women to wear suits but luckily Molly's daughter preferred to wear them, which fits Tobin's style. 

Tobin is dressed with her hair brushed out but Molly added a few waves in it. Tobin now just needs her jacket to be put on, Molly at the moment is fixing her tie up properly. 

"Don't feel bad about it. My husband still can't tie one of these damn things after 20 years. There you go." Molly laughs as she smooths the tie out on Tobin. 

Molly picks up a jacket off the bed and Tobin turns around so Molly can help her put it on. 

"I was right!" She slaps Tobin's back as the jacket fits her perfectly. "You are the exact size as my daughter." Molly grins. 

Tobin walks over to the long mirror, Molly close behind, to look at herself in the ladies suit, Molly was right it fits her perfectly. 

"My, my, my... you shine up like a new penny." Molly says chuffed, while they both look in the mirror. Tobin feels herself smile. 

...

There is drifting strains of classic music. Tobin walks along the deck to the first class restaurant. By Edwardian standards she looks badass. Dashing in her borrowed suit with a fresh shirt and braces she's not used to, right down to her pearl, black shoes and tight trousers. Her jacket fitted her body just right, the sleeves at the end being tight to her wrist. 

People may not be use to women wearing suits in this time because of the whole thing about men running society and it's a show of masculinity but they can't help but admit deep down women do look very good in them. But Tobin knows Stacy and Cal won't be one of these people to think as it as good. 

A steward bows and smartly opens the door to the First Class Entrance. 

"Good evening, Miss." He smiles at her which again she isn't used to. 

Tobin plays the role smoothly. Nods with just the right degree of disdain. 

Tobin steps in and her breath is taken away by the splendor spread out before her. Overhead is the enormous glass dome, with a crystal chandelier at its center. Sweeping down six stories is the First Class Grand Staircase, the epitome of the opulent naval architecture of the time. 

And the people: the women in their floor length dresses, elaborate hairstyles and abundant jewellery while the gentlemen in evening dress, standing with one hand at the small of the back, talking quietly. 

Tobin descends to A deck. Several men nod a perfunctory greeting to her while the women smile at her. She smiles back, keeping it simple. She feels like a spy in so many ways which makes her giddy inside. 

Cal comes down the stairs, with Stacy on his arm, covered in jewellery. They both walk right past Tobin neither one gecognizeing her. Cal nods at one gent to another. But Tobin barely has time to be amused with Cal's and Stacy's ignorance because just behind Cal and Stacy on the stairs is Christen. A vision in red and black, her low-cut dress showing off her neck and shoulders, her arms seathed in white gloves that come well above above the elbow. Tobin is hypnotized by her beauty. 

She imitates the gentlemen's stance, hand behind her back. She extends her gloved hand and Tobin takes it, kissing the back of her fingers. Christen flushes, beaming noticeably. She can't take her eyes off Tobin. Tobin smirks at her. 

"I saw that in a nickelodean once, and I always wanted to do it." They both laugh lightly. Christen comes down the last of the stairs and puts a hand on Cal's shoulder to get his attention. He turns to the two women. 

"Cal, surely you remember Miss Heath." Christen smiles softly. Cal being caught off guard with Tobin in a tight suit. 

"Heath! I didn't recognize you." Cal studies her, looking over her suit. "My, how times have changed." He mumbles to himself but Tobin hears this, she just smiles not wanting to cause anything. Cal looks at Christen then back at Tobin with a fake grin, that Christen doesn't notice. 

"Amazing! You could almost pass for a gentle-women." He jokes with a smug grin, turning back to Stacy to walk her to dinner. Tobin rolls her eyes. 

Christen latches onto Tobin right arm, they smile at each other as the party descends to dinner. 

"Tobin may I ask..." Christen starts as they walk, Tobin looks at her. "Where did you get the suit?" But her question is soon answered when the appearance of Molly comes next to Tobin on the other side. This cause Tobin and Christen to smirk at each other. 

Molly grins when she sees Tobin and Christen. As they are going into the dining saloon she walks next to Tobin latching onto her other arm. Tobin guides Christen and Molly. 

"Ain't nothin' to it, is there, Tobin?" Molly smiles with her head high. 

"Yeah, you just dress like a pallbearer and keep your nose up." Tobin jokes. Both Christen and Molly chuckles. As they walk nearer to the entrance where the tables are Molly pops up again. 

"Remember, the only thing they respect is money, so just act like you've got a lot of it and you're in the club." Molly says to her as she lets go of her arm, Tobin nods. 

As they enter the swirling throng, Christen leans close to Tobin, pointing out several notables she may want to know. 

"There's the Countess Rothes. And that's John Jacob Astor... the richest man on the ship. His little wifey there, Madeleine, is my age and in a delicate condition. See how she's trying to hide it. Quite the scandal." Christen whispers and raises an eyebrow which causes Tobin to laugh lightly. Christen then nods over to a couple. "And over there, that's Sir Zachary and Julie, Lady Ertz. She designs naughty lingerie, among her many talents. Very popular with the royals." Christen smirks.

Cal becomes engrossed in a conversations with Zachary Ertz and Colonel Gracie, while Stacy, the Countess and Julie discuss fashion. Christen picots Tobin smoothly, to show her another couple, dressed impeccably. 

"And that's Jose Batista and his mistress, Madame Allie Long. Mrs. Batista is at home with the children, of course." Tobin says a small 'oh'. 

Cal, meanwhile, is accepting the praise of his male counterparts, who are looking at Christen like a prize show horse. Even if she's just chatting away with Tobin. 

"Hockley, she is splendid." Sir Zachary says while looking Christen up and down. 

"Thank you." Cal says simply while flicking his jacket so he can put his hands on his hips. 

"Cal's a lucky man. I know him well, and it can only be luck." Colonel Gracie chuckles. 

Stacy steps over, hearing the last. She takes Cal's arm, somewhat coquettishly. 

"How can you say that Colonel? Caledon Hockley is a great catch." Stacy says with a smile. 

The entourage strolls toward the dining saloon, where they run into the Astor's going through the ornate double doors. 

"J.J., Madeleine, I'd like you to meet Tobin Heath." Christen introduces Tobin to them. John Jacob Astor shakes Tobin's hand. 

'Good to meet you Tobin. Are you of the Boston Heaths? 

"No, the New Jersey's Heaths, actually." Tobin smiles. 

J.J. nods as if he's heard of them, then looks puzzled. Madeleine Astor appraises Tobin and whispers girlishly to Christen... 

"It's a pity we're both spoken for, isn't it?" Christen turns to Madeleine with a flushed face and a questionable eyebrow. Madeleine smirks and winks. Christen shakes her head softly as the proceed. 

Like a ballroom at the palace, alive and lit by a constellation of chandeliers, full of elegantly dressed people and beautiful music from Bandleader Wallace Hartley's small orchestra. As Christen and Tobin enter and move across the room to their table, Cal and Stacy beside them, Old Christen explains this part of the story further to Lovett. 

"She must have been nervous but she never faltered. They assumed she was one of them... a young captain of industry perhaps like Megan Rapinoe... new money, obviously, but still a memeber of the club. Mother of course, could always be counted upon..."

"Tell us of the accommodations in steerage, Miss Heath. I hear they're quite good on this ship." Stacy says with a tight lipped smile, proud of herself at her comment towards the poor girl in nice clothes. Tobin took no offence to it though. 

Tobin is seated opposite Christen, who is flanked by Cal and Megan Rapinoe. Also at the table are Molly Brown, Ismay, Colonel Gracie, the Countess, Jose Batista, Madame Allie Long, and the Astors. But all eyes are on Tobin to answer Stacy's question.

"The best I've seen, m'am. Hardly any rats." She smiles earning laughs around the table. 

Christen motions surreptitiously and clears her throat to hint to Tobin to take her napkin off her plate as food starts coming to the table. Tobin picks her napkin up quickly with a gulp. 

"Miss Heath is joining us from third class. She was of some assistance to my fiancee last night." Cal addresses the table. He turns to talk to Tobin as if he's speaking to a child. "This is foie gras. It's goose liver."

Whispers are exchanged around the table. Tobin becomes the subject of furtive glances. But now they are all feeling terribly liberal and dangerous. 

"What is Hockly hoping to prove, bringing this... bohemian... up here?" Batista speaks lowly to Madame Allie who just nods but rolls her eyes when she turns away from him. 

A waiter comes up behind Tobin.

"How do you take your caviar, Miss." He asks politely. Before Tobin could answer Cal answers for her.

"Just a soupcon of lemon..." He says to Tobin smiling. "...it improves the flavor with champagne." A smirk evident on his lips. Tobin turns her head slightly and puts a hand up to the waiter. 

"No caviar for me, thanks." Tobin turns her head back to Cal whose smirk is fading. "Never did like it much."

She looks at Christen, pokerfaced, and she smiles. 

"And where exactly do you live, Miss Heath?" Stacy eyes up Tobin upon another one of her questions. 

"Well, right now my address is the RMS Titanic. After that, I'm on God's good humor." Tobin states simply, everyone smiles at her apart from Cal and Stacy. 

Salad is served. Tobin goes to reach for the fish fork. Christen gives her a look and picks up the salad fork, prompting Tobin with her eyes to pick up this fork. She changes forks very quickly. 

"You find that sort of rootless existence appealing, do you?" Stacy asks while taking a bit of her salad. 

"Well... it's a big world, and I want to see it all before I go. My father was always talkin' about goin' to see the ocean. He died in the town he was born in, and never did see it. You can't wait around, because you never know what hand you're going to get dealt next." Tobin takes a bite of her plated bread roll but continues to talk with it in hand. "See, my folks died in a fire when I was fifteen, and I've been on the road since. Somethin' like that teaches you to take life as it comes at you. To make each day count." Most people nod at her statement in agreement. 

Molly Brown raises her glass in a salute. 

"Well said, Tobin."

The Colonel even raised his glass.

"Here, here."

Christen raises her glass, looking at Tobin.

"To making it count." Christen says, her and Tobin stare into each other's eyes for a brief moment as everyone raises their glass apart from Cal and Stacy of course. 

Stacy, annoyed that Tobin has scored a point, presses her further. 

"How is it you have the means to travel, Miss Heath?"

"I work my way from place to place. Tramp steamers and such. I won my ticket on Titanic here in a lucky hand at poker." She glances at Christen. "A very lucky hand." Christen face blushes at the statement, she looks down to try and cover her small smile. 

"All life is a game of luck." Gracie says in his rough, posh voice. 

"A real MAN makes his own luck, Archie." Cal says, bitterly staring at Tobin while she stares back. He said it in a way that Tobin is a women and she should know that is her place and of course that she is 3rd class. Cal's not very fond on women having money, power and obviously luck but he doesn't mind it with Megan Rapinoe, cause she built the gorgeous vessel they are upon. 

Speaking of Megan Rapinoe, Christen notices that Megan is writing in her notebook while sitting next to her, completely ignoring the conversation. 

"Miss Rapinoe, what are you doing? I see you everywhere writing in this little book." Christen softly grabs the book and reads it. "Increase number of screws in hat hooks from 2 to 3. You build the biggest ship in the world and this preoccupies you?!" Christen eyes wide a tad and laughs lightly.

Rapinoe smiles sheepishly. 

"She knows every rivet in this mother ship, don't you Rapinoe?" Ismay says. 

"All three million of them." Megan nods. 

"Her blood and soul are in the ship. Titanic may be mine on paper, but in the eyes of God she belongs to Megan Rapinoe." Ismay says as if it's a written fact.

"Your ship is a wonder, Miss Rapinoe. Truly." Christen smiles sweetly, handing the book back to Megan. 

"Thank you, Christen." Rapinoe has come under Christen's charming spell. 

...

Dessert has been served and a waiter arrives with cigars in a humidor on a wheeled cart. The men and Megan start clipping ends and lighting. Tobin hands back a pen to Molly and softly thanks her. 

Christen turns to Tobin and speaks lowly. 

"Next, it'll be brandies in the Smoking Room." Tobin just nods at Christen before Gracie starts to raise out of his chair. 

"Well, join me for a brandy, gentlemen and Megan of course?" He nods towards the women in question and she smiles, also rising from her chair in her dashing suit. Christen smirks to Tobin as what she said was true. She speaks lowly to her again. 

"Now they retreat into a cloud of smoke and congratulate each other on being masters of the universe." 

Gracie speaks to Tobin. "Joining us, Heath? You don't want to stay out here and listen to these ladies gossip, do you?" He laughs and Tobin looks up smiling. Actually Tobin does, but... 

"No thanks. I'm heading back." Tobin says politely and stands up. Cal walks pass her. 

"Probably best. It'll be all business and politics, that sort of thing. Wouldn't interest you. Good of you to come." Cal pats Tobin's shoulder hard and walks off with the gentlemen and Megan. Christen looks at Tobin from her chair, a little bummed that Tobin is going. 

"Tobin, must you go?"

"Time for my coach to turn back into a pumpkin." Tobin smiles. She leans over to take Christen's hand, kissing it and then letting her hand linger for a bit in Christens. Tobin has slipped a note into her hand, giving a smirk and starts walking away. Only looking back once at Christen. 

Stacy, scowling, watches Tobin walk away across the enormous room. 

Christen looks lover her shoulder, around her table to see if anyone was watching her, which they weren't. 

Christen surreptitiously opens the note below table level. It reads: "Make it count. Meet me at the clock". Christen gasps lightly and smiles to herself. 

Night time...

Christen crosses the A-Deck foyer, sighting Tobin at the landing above. Overhead is the crystal dome. Tobin has her back to her, studying the ornate clock with its carved figures of Honour and Glory. It softly strikes the hour. 

Christen takes a deep breath as she goes up the sweeping staircase toward her. Tobin turns and sees her... smiling. 

"So want to go to a real party?" Tobin smirks at her.


	9. Chapter 9

Down in the third class general room, there was a crowd and alive with music, laughter and raucous carrying on. An Irish band is gathered near the upright piano, honking out lively stomping music on fiddle, accoridon and tambourine. People of all ages are dancing, drinking beer and wine, smoking, laughing, even brawling. 

Kelley hands Christen a pint of stout and Christen hoists it. This causes Kelley, Alex, Ashlyn and Ali to cheer and hoist their drinks up too. They all sit at a table watching Tobin and little Mal. 

Tobin, whose now taken her jacket and tie off and rolled her sleeves up to her elbows which is how she likes it, dances with Mal, or tries to, with her standing on her feet. As the tune ends but it doesn't take long for the music to start right up again, Tobin turns to Christen with a smirk before leaning down to Mal. 

"I'm gonna dance with her now, alright?" Tobin says as she points at Christen. Mal just nods, moving slightly to watch them. 

Tobin stand straight again and put her hand out for Christen to take. "Come on." Tobin smiles telling Christen to come up. 

"What?" Christen says shocked. 

"Come on." Tobin says eagerly. Christen still doesn't move from her seat so Tobin grabs onto her arm to move. "Come on, come with me." She holds onto Christen's hands laughing on the dance floor.

"Tobin wait." She looks into Tobin's eyes. "Tobin...I can't do this." She looks at Tobin nervously. Tobin smiles. 

"We're gonna have to get a little bit closer." Tobin puts one hand on Christen's lower back, pulling her closer into her, her other hand goes to Christen's hand in a dancing position. "Like this." 

Christen gasps slightly at the contact, finding it hard not to stare too long in Tobin's eyes. It's an electrifying moment for them.

Next to them stands Mal still, staring at them both with an unimpressed look. Tobin notices this. 

"You're still my best girl, Mal." She says, speaking true to the little one. This causes Mal to relax and have a big grin on her face. 

Tobin and Christen start to move to the music. 

"I don't know the steps." Christen says to her. 

"Neither do I. Just go with it." Tobin makes Christen nervous giggle. "Don't think."

The awkwardness at the start goes and Christen starts to get into it. She grins at Tobin as she starts to get the rhythm of the steops. They are both laughing and dancing around everywhere and going in between people. 

At the table Ashlyn is watching them with Ali. They both look at each other and laugh. Ashlyn take a big swig of her beer before pulling Ali to the dance floor, they were having the time of their life. Kelley and Alex join them too, of course Kelley has a fag sticking out her mouth. 

Kelley and Alex move to the raise platform in the middle of the room and start to dance. At one point they link arms and swing around in circles, laughing hysterically. Obviously from the drink in their systems too. Tobin notices this and pulls Christen up to the platform with them. "Come on." She shouts over the music.

Kelley and Alex create space for them. Once there, they stop in the middle with a gap between them. 

Tobin puts her hand through her hair and puts her hands in her pockets before she starts to tap dance to the music, hitting every beat just right. Tobin just spins and dances like there is no tomorrow. Christen watches her. Christen see this as a challenge and wants to show Tobin what she's all about. She take off her high heels and throws them down to a smiling Ali, whose with Ashlyn. A crowd starts to form around the platform, everyone hyping the two women up by cheering and shouting. Tobin stops to look at her. 

Now, Christen's turn she starts the tap dance Tobin was just doing, by lifting up her dress, hitting every beat as well in her stocking feet. Tobin's mouth is open a bit with amazement that Christen can do it. Christen quickly glans at Tobin during her dance and grins at how dumbfounded she is. 

Tobin begins to grin too and makes one big clap, hands instantly go to her pockets after and begins to dance again, trying to be better than Christen. This makes Christen stop and watch again. 

Tobin stops and smirks at Christen. Christen just sticks her tongue out to the woman and begins the dance again. Tobin and those around clap and 'woo' Christen. The speed of the music getting quicker. 

When Christen begins to finish, Tobin links their arms and they spin around, changing directions and linking their other arms ever so often. Alex and Kelley are doing the same next to them, laughing in glee. 

Then, Tobin ups it again by taking Christen's hands in hers, facing each other. They hold their hands in a cross in the middle and begin to spin fast. Tobin is laughing along with Christen. 

However, Christen can feel them getting faster. She looks up at Tobin's devious face, grinning. 

"Tobin..." She warns as they get faster. "...no!"She laughs but Tobin just gets faster. 

Tobin shouts out a big 'waaaa' through her grin as they hit the speed limit they can get to. Christen is laughing and screams out, shutting her eyes momentarily. 

The tune ends in a mad rush, everyone claps and cheers. The music starts again but the women decide to take a break from dancing, including Alex, Kelley, Ali and Ashlyn. 

They move to a table, flushed and sweaty. Christen grabs Kelley's cigarette and takes a big drag. She's feeling cocky. Kelley is grinning, holding hands with Alex who is sitting down. 

"How you two doin'?" Tobin asks Kelley and Alex. 

"Great! Having a great time with each other." Alex says smiling and squeezing Kelley's hand. Kelley stands up with Tobin to let Christen sit down next to Alex at the table to rest her feet for a little bit. 

Ashlyn, with Ali following, walks up with a pint for each of them. Tobin takes a swig while Christen chugs hers, showing off. The four other women have surprised looks on their faces. Christen stops, taking a breath and smirks over at the four of them. 

"What? You think a first class girl can't drink?" She grins smugly causing the others to laugh. 

...

Everybody else is dancing again when a drunken fella crashes into Kelley's back, who sloshes her beer over Christen's dress. Christen laughs, not caring. But Kelley lunges, grabbing the guy and wheeling him around. 

"You stupid bastard!!" Kelley shouts over the chaos and music. 

The guy comes around and his fists coming up, the two were about to fight when Tobin leaps into the middle of it, pushing them apart, Ashlyn stands there just in case. 

"Guys, guys! Did I ever tell you the one about the Swede and the Irishwomen goin' to the whorehouse?" She says, mainly to Kelley. 

Kelley stands there, all piss and vinegar, chest puffed up from rage but the she grins and claps the guy on the shoulder as a gesture of no harm done. After watching the commotion, Christen stands up from her seat and comes towards them. 

"So, you think you're big and tough?" She takes a swig of beer and puts it down. "Let's see you do this." She steps back. 

In her stocking feet she assumes a ballet stance, arms raised, and goes up on point, taking her entire weight on the tips of her toes. Kelley and the guy's gape at her incredible muscle control. She comes back down, then her face screws up in pain. She grabs one foot, hopping around.

"Oooowww! I haven't done that in years." 

Tobin catches her as she loses her balance, and everyone cracks up. 

THe door to the well deck is open a few inches as Servando watches through the gap. He sees Tobin holding Christen, both of them laughing and looking at each other. 

Servando sees enough and closes the door. 

The music is playing an upbeat sound again and the all the women go to dance. Holding hands in a line and dancing around the room like it's a conga. Christen can't help but laugh all the way through it while gripping tightly to Tobin's hand whose behind her.

...

The stars blaze overhead, so bright and clear you can see the Milky Way. Christen and Tobin walk along the row of lifeboats. Still giddy from the party, they are singing a popular song "Come Josephine in My Flying Machine". 

"Come Josephine in my flying machine

And it's up she goes! Up she goes!

In the air she goes. Where? There she goes!" 

They fumble the words and break down laughing. They have reached the First Class Entrance, but don't go straight in, not wanting the evening to end. 

Through the doors the sound of the ship's orchestra wafts gently. Christen grabs a davit and leans back, staring at the cosmos. 

"Isn't it magnificent? So grand and endless." Christen sighs. She goes to the rail and leans on it. "They're such small people, Tobin... my crowd. They think they're giants on the earth, but they're not even dust in God's eye. They live inside this little tiny champagne bubble... and someday the bubble's going to burst."

Tobin leans at the rail next to her, her hand just touching hers. It is the slightest contact imaginable, and all either one of them can feel is that square inch of skin where their hands are touching. 

"You're not one of them. There's been a mistake.You got mailed to the wrong address." Tobin says light heartedly but slurred due to the alcohol. Christen laughs. 

"I did, didn't I?" Her eyes travelling the skies above them. Suddenly she points, making Tobin look too. "Look! A shooting star." They both watch it go by. 

"Huh, that was a long one." Tobin breaths out. "You know my pops always use to tell me that whenever you saw one, it was a soul going to heaven." 

"I like that." Christen turns to look at the taller girl. "Aren't we supposed to wish on it?" 

Tobin looks at her, and finds that they are suddenly very close together. It would be so easy to move another couple of inches, to kiss her. Christen seems to be thinking the same thing. 

"Why?...What would you wish for?" She says softly with a very small smile. They star at each other.   
Christen gives a small sigh. Looking back and forth between Tobin's eyes and lips. 

"Something I can't have." She smiles sadly and pulls back to walk pass Tobin, brushing a hand on Tobin's shoulder as she goes by. "Goodnight, Tobin. And thank you."

She hurries through the First Class Entrance.

Tobin turns quickly to say something but the door bangs shut, and she is gone. Back to her world, leaving Tobin with the stars.


	10. Chapter 10

April 14th 1912...

It's a bright clear day. Sunlight splashing across the promenade as Christen and Cal are having breakfast in silence. The tension is palpable. Rose lavelle, in her maid's uniform, pours the coffee and goes inside. 

"I had hoped you would come to me last night." Cal says taking a sip of coffee. Looking up to Christen who has her eyes down on her plate. 

"I was tired." Christen sighs leaning back into her chair, taking a sip of her tea.

"Yes. Your exertions below decks were no doubt exausting." Cal says emotionless, staring at her. Christen stiffened at his words but spoke. 

"I see you had that undertaker of a manservant follow me." Christen rests her cup and cup plate down together on the table. 

"You will never behave like that again! Do you understand?" Giving her a cold look. Christen releases a shaky breath.

"I'm not some foreman in your mills than you can command!" She finds her voice and Cal squints at her, rage starting to build. "I am your fiancee!" He looks at her dead in the eyes. 

"My fia...my fiancée!" He stands up quickly, pushing his chair back. "Yes, you are! And my wife!..." 

Cal explodes, sweeping the breakfast china off the table with a crash. This makes Christen jump and gasp. He moves to her in one shocking moment, glowering over her and gripping the sides of her chair, so she is trapped between his arms. Slightly fear in her eyes as she looks at him. 

"My wife in practice, if not yet by law. So you will honor me, as a wife is required to honor her husband!" He shakes the chair slightly when she looks away to make her look back at him, she gasps, trying to keep the tears down. "I will not be made out a fool! Is this in any way unclear?" 

Christen shakes her head, tears are now in her eyes. "N-no." She's able to say. 

"Good. Excuse me." He says, straightening up and walks past Rose through to the stateroom. 

Christen lets out some shaky breaths and gasps as she sees Rose comes over to her quickly. Christen stands up with little cries to help clear up the mess Cal has made. 

"We... we had a little accident. I'm sorry, Rose." Christen says when she's on her knees to pick up some things. 

"No, no it's alright Miss." Rose says softly, placing a hand on the teared up woman's shoulder, stopping Christen pick the broken China up. "It's alright." 

Christen looks at her and nods slowly as she sits back onto her bum, tears dropping again. 

...

Christen is getting dressed for the day, Rose is there tightening her corset as she grabs onto the bed post. Stacy enters room. Christen and Rose look over their shoulders to her.

"Tea Rose." Stacy says, fury in her eyes. 

"Yes, Mrs Press." Rose quickly leaves the room, Stacy locks the door as she leaves. Stacy comes up behind Christen, starting to so Christen's corset herself, a lot tighter than Rose did. 

"You are not to see that boy again, do you understand me Rose? I forbid it!" Stacy pulls tight after each sentence cause if Christen to gasp lightly. 

Christen rolls her eyes, luckily Stacy can't see. 

"Oh, stop it, Mother. You'll give yourself a nosebleed." This causes Stacy eyes to widen and spin Christen around by the arms, holding onto her tightly. 

"Christen, this is not a game! Our situation is precarious. You know the money's gone!" She whisper shouts. 

"Of course I know it's gone. You remind me every day!"

"Your father left us nothing but a legacy of bad debts hidden by a good name. And that name is the only card we have to play." 

Stacy turns her around and grabs the corset strings again. Christen sucks in her waist and Stacy pulls. 

"I don't understand you. It is a fine match with Hockley, and it will insure our survival." Stacy shakes her head. 

"How can you put this on my shoulders?" Christen says sadly, she's again turned by her mother and Christen is shocked to see the naked fear in Stacy's eyes. 

"Do you want to see me working as a seamstress? Is that what you want? Do you want to see our fine things sold at an auction, our memories scattered to the winds? My God, Christen, how can you be so selfish?" Christen gets turned back so her mother can finish the corset. 

"It's so unfair." Christen sighs, no emotion in her eyes. 

"Of course it's unfair! We're women. Our choices are never easy." Christen just shuts her eyes and thinks. 

"Tobin is a women too, she's living the best life." 

Both of them are silent as Stacy pulls the corset tighter, Christen not caring about the pain eating at her waist and hips. 

...

At the church service, Captain Andonovski is leading a group in the hymn "Almighty Father Strong To Save." Christen, Cal and Stacy sing in the middle of the group. 

Servando stands well back, keeping an eye on Christen. He notices a commotion at the entry doors. Tobin has been halted there by two stewards. She is dressed in her third class clothes, and stands there, hat in hand, looking dreadfully out of place on this deck.

"Look, you, you're not supposed to be in here." One of the stewards have said sternly. 

"I was just here last night... don't you remember?" Tobin looks pass the steward and sees Servando coming towards them but he has a smug look. "He'll tell you."

"Mr. Hockley and Miss Press continue to be most appreciative of your assistance. They asked me to give you this in gratitude--"He holds out two twenty dollar bills, which Tobin refuses to take. 

"I don't want money, I--" 

"...and also to remind you that you hold a third class ticket and your presence here is no longer appropriate." Servando says bluntly. Tobin is taken aback a bit. 

Tobin spots Christen but she doesn't see her.

"I just need to talk to Christen for a--"She cut off again. 

"Gentlemen, please see that Miss Heath gets back where she belongs. Now giving the twenties to the stewards which they gladly accept. "And that she stays there." Tobin shakes her head. 

"Yes sir!" Both stewards says and walking up to Tobin, each grabbing an arm. "Come along you." Tobin stares at Servando one last time as he gives her a devilish smirk. Tobin accepts she's lost the battle of seeing Christen... for now. 

In the other room, Christen doesn't see Tobin get hustled out so she continues singing. 

"O hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea."

Cal, however, does see. He gives a proud grin to Servando when he walks back in. 

Gym and tour, the same day...

An Edwardian nautilus room. There are machines that are easily recognisable but some not so really. A woman pedals a stationary bicycle in a long dress, looking ridiculous. Megan Rapinoe is leading a small tour group, including Christen, Stacy and Cal. Cal is wroking the oars of a stationary rowing machine with a well trained stroke. 

"Reminds me of my Harvard days." He smiles proudly as he gets up and off the machinery. 

T.W. McCauley, the gym instructor, is a bouncy little man in white flannels, eager to show off his modern equipment, like his present-day counterpart on an infomercial. He hits a switch and a machine with a saddle on it starts to undulate. Christen puts her hand on it, curious. 

"The electric horse is very popular. We even have an electric camel." McCauley turns to Stacy. "Care to try your hand at the rowing, m'am?" He smiles but Stacy scoffs at his words, making him fault in his smile. 

"Don't be absurd. I can't think of a skill I should likely need less." She has her iconic right smile again on her face and walks over to Cal. 

"The next stop on our tour will be bridge. This way, please." Rapinoe gestures to the exit. Stacy links her arm in Cal's and they walk out the exit with the rest of the tour. As Christen starts to walk with them, she notices a boxing bag ball above her head and decides to give it a good punch before walking out like nothing has happened.

Down on lower deck. Tobin is walking with determination and is followed closely by Kelley and Alex. She quickly climbs the steps to B-Deck and steps over the gate separating 3rd from 2nd class. 

"She's a goddess amongst mortal men and women, there's no denyin'. But she's in another world, Tobs, forget her. She's closed the door." Kelley says trying to keep up. Tobin doesn't respond straight away. 

Tobin moves furtively to the wall below the A-Deck promenade. 

"It was them, not her." She glances around the deck to see if anyone is there. When there wasn't... "Ready... go." 

Kelley shakes her head resignedly and puts her hands together, crouching down. Tobin steps into Kelley's hands and gets boosted up to the next deck, where she scrambles nimbly over the railing, onto the First Class deck swiftly. She takes a gentleman's coat and hat which was laying on a deck chair and puts it on for a disguise. 

"He's not bein' logical, I tell ya." Kelley says pointing up to Tobin who disappears. 

"Amore is'a not logical." Alex says, Kelley raises her eyebrow a bit not really understanding the Italian that much but she lets it slide by a quick smile. 

Kelley leans forward and kisses Alex smoothly which the other woman gladly accepts. Alex rests her hand on Kelley's faces, rubbing the skin softly. 

"Oi! What you two doing up here?!" A steward catches the two on the 2nd class deck, making the two break apart quickly. 

"A'right, a'right." Kelley turns towards the angry steward whose obviously not getting paid enough, and in front of Alex like she protecting her. "We're goin." Kelley grabs Alex's hand and runs through the gate and down the stairs which separates the classes. 

"And stay out!" The steward slams the gate shut and walks off. 

"Feckin ejet!" Kelley shouts at him, making Alex laugh. Alex grabs Kelley's face again softly, they both stare into each other's eyes and take in the moment in each other's arms on the boat of dreams... literally. 

...

Harold Bridge, the 21 year old Junior Wireless Operator, hustles in and skirts around Rapinoe's tour group to hand an update to Captain Andonovski . 

"Another ice warning, sir. This one from the "Baltic"." Bridge hands the paper to Andonovski. 

"Thank you, Harry." He smiles. 

Captain Andonovski glances at the message then nonchalantly puts it in his pocket. He nods reassuringly to Christen and the group. 

"Not to worry, it's quite normal for this time of year. In fact, we're speeding up. I've just ordered the last boilers lit." Christen isn't convinced that everything is okay but she doesn't say anything. 

Megan scowls slightly before motioning the group toward the door. They exit just as Second Officer Charles Herbert Lightoller comes out of the chartroom, stopping next to First Officer Murdoch. 

"Did we ever find those binoculars for the lookouts?" He whispers. 

"Haven't seen them since Southampton." Murdoch shrugs. 

Megan leads the group back from the bridge along the boat deck. 

"Miss Rapinoe, I did the sum in my head, and with the number of lifeboats times the capacity you mentioned... forgive me, but it seems that there are not enough for everyone aboard." Christen says factly, looking to Megan next to her as they walk. 

"About half, actually." Megan states simply. "Christen, you miss nothing, do you? In fact, I put in these new type davits, which can take an extra row of boats here." She gestures along the deck. "But it was thought... by some... that the deck would look too cluttered. So I was over-ruled." Megan sighs, knowing it's dangerous to have very little lifeboats. Cal hits one of the boats with his cane. 

"Waste of deck space as it is, on an unsinkable ship!" He emphasises the 'unsinkable'. 

"Sleep soundly, young Christen. I have built you a good ship, strong and true. She's all the lifeboat you need." Megan smiles and Christen gives an unconvinced one back. 

As they are passing Boat 7, a person turns from the rail and walks up behind the group. It is Tobin. She taps Christen on the arm and she turns, gasping see Tobin in the gentleman's disguise. Tobin motions her to follow and Christen cuts away from the group toward a door which Tobin holds open. They duck into the gym. 

Tobin closes the door behind Christen, and glances out through the ripple-glass window to the starboard rail, where the gym instructor is chatting up the woman who was riding the bike. Christen and Tobin are alone in the room. 

"Tobin, this is impossible. I can't see you." She goes to move but Tobin takes her by the shoulders as she moves near the wall. Ready to open up to her. 

"I need to talk to you." Tobin desperately says, taking the hat off but leaves the coat on. 

"No Tobin...No." Christen hesitates and looks out the window then back at the women in front of her before speaking again. "Tobin, I'm engaged... I'm marrying Cal... I love Cal." She looks in Tobin's eyes who is very unconvinced. 

"Christen." Tobin sighs. "...you're no picnic... you're a spoiled little brat even, but under that you're a strong, pure heart, and you're the most amazingly astounding girl I've ever known and..." Tobin struggles with her words and she gets nervous. 

"Tobin, I..." Christen goes to move again but Tobin is soon there in front of her again stopping her as she leans with her back to the wall, listening to Tobin. 

"No wait! Let me try to get this out. You're am-..."Tobin struggles, stopping to take a deep breath, looking up than back to Christen. "Look, I'm not an idiot. I know how the world works. I've got 10 bucks in my pocket... and I know I have nothing to offer you, Christen. I know that. I understand." She moves her face and body closer to Christen so their bodies are touching slightly. "But I'm involved now. You jump, I jump, remember? I can't turn away without knowin' that you're goin' to be alright." 

Christen feels the tears coming to her eyes. Tobin is so open and real... not like anyone she has ever known. 

"That's all that I want." Tobin finishes, her breath shaky. Christen tries her best to stand her ground, finding it so hard to not give in to the beautiful women in front of her. 

"Well I'm fine." Christen says in a shaky breath, searching Tobin's eyes for a moment. "I'll be fine. Really." Christen says this like she's trying to convince herself more than Tobin. 

Tobin gives her a look. 

"Really?" Tobin raises her eyebrows. "I don't think so. They've got you trapped Christen, and you're goin' to die if you don't break out. Maybe not right away, 'cause you're strong." Tobin moves closer with her right hand going to Christen's cheek, softly rubbing it. "But sooner or later that fire that I love 'bout you Christen...that fire is goin' to go out." They both have tears at this point, Tobin still rubs Christen's cheek though. Christen gulps down before speaking. 

"It's not up to you to save me, Tobin." 

"You're right. Only you can do that." Tobin whispers solidarity to her. 

Christen touches Tobin's hand on her cheek, holding it for a second before she makes her mind up. 

"I'm going back." She removes Tobin's hand. "Leave me alone." She moves to get to the door and Tobin lets her this time, Christen doesn't look back cause she thinks she might cry so she leaves the room to go back to her group without another word. Leaving Tobin alone.

Tobin sees her figure through the deformed window and goes to hit it to stop her but she reframed from it and leans back against it. Sighing, she puts her head down and bites her lip with the sudden wave of sadness which envelopes her. 

Same day... 

In the first class lounge which is the most elegant room on the ship, done in Louis Quinze Versaille style. Christen sits on a divan, with a group of other women arrayed around her. Stacy, the Countess Rothes and Lady Ertz are taking tea. Christen is silent and still as a porcelain figurine as the conversation washes around her. 

"Of course the invitations had to be sent back to the printers twice. And the bridesmaids dresses! Let me tell you what an odyssey that has been..." Stacy goes on to the other women. 

Christen looks to her left and sees a table of a mother and daughter having tea. The four year old girl, wearing white gloves, daintily picking up a cookie. The mother correcting her on her posture, and the way she holds the teacup. The little girl is trying so hard to please, her expression serious. A glimpse of Christen at that age comes into Christen's head and she sees the relentless conditioning... the pain to becoming an Edwardian geisha. 

Christen thinks to herself. "What am I doing?" She needs to fix things and get her life back for her to control, starting with Tobin. Tobin was right, only Christen can save herself.

She calmly and deliberately turns her teacup over, spilling tea all over her dress. Catching the attention of the other women, Stacy particularly with a shocked expression on her face. 

"Oh, look what I've done." She smiles to them and stands up. "Please excuse me." Christen speeds walks out, ignoring the calls of her mother. She was too focused on finding Tobin.


	11. Chapter 11

Dusk... 

Titanic steams on in the dusk light, as if lit by the embers of a giant fire. As the ship looms the mighty waters, on the bow of the ship there is a person. Tobin is there, right at the apex of the bow railing, her favorite spot. She closes her eyes and leans her forearms on the railing, letting the chill wind clear her head, not caring about her loose, wavy hair. 

Tobin hears that voice, behind her... 

"Hello, Tobin."

She turns, shocked and Christen is standing there. 

"I changed my mind." Christen says with a glint in her eyes from the sunset. 

Tobin smiles at her, her eyes drinking Christen in. Christen cheeks are red with the chill wind, and her eyes sparkle. Her hair blows wildly about her face. 

"Alex said you might be up--..." Tobin stops her. 

"Sssshh. Come here." Tobin says softly. 

She puts her right hand up to Christen to take which she gladly does. Tobin pulls Christen slowly towards her and the bow of the boat. 

"Close your eyes." Tobin whispers. 

Christen does, skeptical at first, but she does. 

Tobin turns her to face forward, the way the ship is going. She presses Christen gently to the railing and gets her to hold it, standing right behind her.

"Keep your eyes closed. Don't peak." 

"I'm not." Christen breaths out with a smile. 

"Step up onto the railing." Tobin instructs her softly, holding onto her waist. Slowly and carefully Christen steps up to the rail, Tobin is again right behind her stepping up too, with a leg either side of Christen so she is secure to the railing and won't fall. "Hold on. Keep your eyes closed." They both chuckles slightly. 

Christen breath is shaky, nervous but intrigued with what Tobin is doing. 

"Do you trust me?" Tobin asks, resting her head slightly on Christen's shoulder. 

"I trust you." Christen says with no hesitation. 

Then Tobin takes Christen two hands and raises them until she is standing with her arms outstetched on each side. Christen is going along with what Tobin is doing. A little smile never leaving either of their faces. When Tobin lowers her hands, Christen arms stay up... like wings. Tobin holds Christen's waist and keeps her head on Christen's shoulder. 

"Alright. Open your eyes." She whispers into her ear. She does. 

Christen gasps. There is nothing in her field of vision but water. It's like there is no ship under them at all, just the two of them soaring. The Atlantic unrolls toward her, a hammered copper shield under a dusk sky. There is only the wind, and the hiss of the water 50 feel below. When Christen opened her eyes it felt like Tobin had taken her out of her old world and into a new one, with her being by her side in a new beginning. 

"I'm flying!" Christen says grinning, trying to look and Tobin but she can't shift her eyes away from what's in front of her. "Tobin..." She whispers. Both of them taking in the moment. 

Slowly, Tobin raises her hands, arms outstretched, and they meet with Christen's... fingertips gentle touching. Then their fingers intertwine, moving slowly around each other like the bodies of two lovers together as one. 

"Come Josephine in my flying machine..." Tobin begins to sing softly in Christen's ear, both of them smiling and feeling wholesome. "Going up. Up she goes, up she goes..." 

Christen clears her eyes, feeling herself floating weightless far above the sea. She smiles dreamily, then leans back, gently pressing her back against Tobin's chest. Tobin pushes forward slightly against her. 

Tobin tips her face forward into Christen blowing hair, letting the scent of Christen wash over her, until her cheek is agianst Christen's ear. 

Christen turns her head until her lips are near the other woman's. Tobin lowers her arms slowly, bring Christen's down with her. She wraps their arms together around Christen's waist. Christen finds Tobin's lips with hers and they kiss like this with her head turned and tilted back. 

She surrendering to Tobin, to the emotion, to the inevitable. They kiss, slowly and tremulously, and then with building passion. Christen places a hand to the back of Tobin's neck, bringing her in that much closer if that's possible. The sunset glows on them like they have entered heaven which deep down inside both of them, they feel like they have. 

Tobin and the ship seem to merge into one force of power and optimism, lifting Christen, pushing her forward on a magical journey, soaring onward into a night without fear. 

Back to present day... 

Old Christen blinks, seeming to come back to the present as she relived her love story. She sees the wrecked bow of the ship on one of the screens, the sad ghost ship deep in the abyss. 

"That was the last time Titanic ever saw daylight." Christen croaks with a sigh. 

Brock Lovett changes the tape in the minicassette recorder. 

"So we're up to dusk on the night of the sinking. Six hours to go." Lovett confirms after seeing Christen nod to him. 

"Don't you love it? There's Captain Andonovski, he's standing there with the iceberg warning in his fucking hand..." 

"Lewis..." Lovett warns him of his language, remembering Christen. 

"... excuse me... in his hand, and he's ordering more speed." Bodine is dumbfounded. 

"26 years of experience working against him. He figures anything big enough to sink the ship they're going to see in time to turn. But the ship's too big, with too small a rudder... it can't corner worth shit. Everything he knows is wrong." Lovett adds on. 

Christen is ignoring this conversation. She has the art-nouveau comb with the jade butterfly on the handle in her hands, turning it slowly. She is watching a different screen, which shows the ruins of Suite B-52/56. She remembers exactly what happened there. 

Back to April 14th 1912, night time approaches... 

They both head for Christen's suite, Tobin is overwhelmed by the opulence of the room as they enter. She sets her sketchbook and drawing materials on the marble table. 

"Will this light do?" Christen asks. 

Tobin was too involved at looking at the fire place to hear Christen but she realises soon enough. 

"What?" Tobin raises an eyebrow, back still towards Christen. 

"Don't artists need good light?" Christen curiously asks. Tobin swipes her finger on the marble fire in a joke to say that the room is dusty. 

"Zat is true, but I am not used to working in such 'orreeble conditions" Tobin says in a bad french accent causing Christen to laugh. She turns and sees some paintings. "Hey... Monet!" She walks over to them. 

"Do you know his work?" Christen says as she approaches her. 

"Of course." 

Tobin crouches next to the paintings stacked against the wall. 

"Look at his use of colour here..." She traces the colours with her fingers. "Isn't he great?" 

"I know. It's extraordinary." Christen says removing her gloves. 

She goes into the adjoining walk-in wardrobe closet. Tobin sees her go to the safe and start working the combination. He's fascinated. 

"Cal insist on luggin this thing everywhere." Christen scoffs, concentrating. 

"Should I be expecting him anytime soon?" Tobin asks as she inspects the room further. Christen is able to unlock the safe and removes the velvet box. She starts to walk out. 

"Not as long as the cigars and brandy hold out." She removes the necklace from the box. Glancing up, Christen meets Tobin's eyes and walks to her with the necklace, she holds it up to Tobin who takes it. 

Tobin realises a short whistle. "That's nice. What is it? A sapphire?" She holds it up in the light, turning from Christen slightly. 

"A diamond. A very rare diamond." Christen comes to look over Tobin's shoulder.

Tobin gazes at wealth beyond her comprehension. She makes a low whistle again, turning the object in her hand. 

"Tobin, I want you to draw me like your French girl. Wearing this." Tobin doesn't look at her, still too fascinated in the necklace but she is listening. 

Tobin nods her head. "Alright." 

Christen hesitates at what she says next. "Wearing only this." She whispers. 

This does make Tobin look up at her, surprised but grateful. 

...

Christen is getting ready in her bedroom, she removes the butterfly comb out of her hair. She shakes her head and her curly hair falls free around her shoulders. 

While in the sitting room, Tobin, whose coat is off and her braces hanging down her pass legs, pulls over a couch in good lighting and moves a pillow to get it ready for Christen. After she is laying out her pencils like surgical tools. Her sketchbook is open and ready as she sits down in the chair opposite to the couch. She's in the middle of sharpening some charcoal when she looks up as Christen comes into the room, wearing a silk kimono. 

She stops sharpening it when she makes eye contact with Christen. Christen leans against the doorframe, connecting the sitting room and her bedroom, and she swing one of the kimonos ties in her hand, teasing Tobin slightly. They both smile at each other. She starts to walk over to Tobin. 

"The last thing I need is another picture of me looking like a porcelain doll." She wiggles a dime at Tobin. "As a paying customer..." She chucks the dime into Tobin who catches it and smirks. "...I expect to get what I want." Christen smirks too and steps back, parting the kimono slightly. 

They both intensely stare at each other, both smirks gone, just passion through their eyes. Christen parts the materials even more, it slides down her body, revealing her soft, caramel skin. Tobin, who is star struck, gulps at the sight in front of her. It's almost comical. How did she become so lucky? 

The blue stone lies on Christen's creamy breasts. Her heart is pounding as she drops the robe completely. They stare at each other for a moment. 

Tobin clears her throat, trying to get words out from being flustered. 

"Over-r the um.. bed...c-couch!..." She stutters and instantly tries to correct herself, while pointing at the furniture, trying to keep her eyes off Christen at the moment. Christen walks slowly over to the couch, and starts laying back, trying to get into a good position for Tobin. 

"Go on... lie down." Tobin whispers softly, smiling at Christen. As she does, she put her right arm over her head resting the arm rest while the other lays by her face but moves them when she gets nervous. 

"Tell me when it looks right to you." Christen moves around. 

"Yeah.. yeah that's right." Tobin says, professionalism finally setting in. "Put your arm back the way it was." Which Christen does. "Now put your other arm, that hand right up... right up by your face there." Tobin shows her by doing it herself from where she is sat and Christen follows. "Right." Tobin stares looking at her pose and liking it so far. Tobin begins saying more instructions in a soft whisper. "Now head down...Eyes to me. Keep them on me..."Christen does what she says and smiles at her. 

Satisfied with Christen's pose, Tobin prepares her sketchbook. 

"Try to stay still." Tobin raises her eyebrows and smiles. Christen clears her throat and smiles ever so gently back. Tobin lets out a big breath, eyes turning serious but soft and begins to sketch, her eyes following Christen's curves. 

"So serious." Christen makes a 'serious face' trying to make Tobin laugh, she got away with a little smile cause Tobin is concentrating. 

Tobin continues to draw and her picture is coming along nicely. 

Christen stares at her and just sees Tobin's brown coloured eyes over her sketchbook, looking at every inch of Christen's body. Christen feels protected and loved under Tobin's stare. This is the stare Old Christen sees in her memory. It is the image she will carry for the rest of her life. 

Christen gets lost in the dark chocolate pools when Tobin flicks some hair out of her eyes with the flick of the head. 

With every passing moment, Tobin's drawing of Christen gets more and more. Each detail precise and carefully drawn. Christen's beauty really standing out at realism of it. And of course the necklace, sitting boldly on the ape of Christen's neck. 

When they both meet eyes, Tobin lets out a soft chuckle which causes Christen to tease. 

"I believe you are blushing, Mr. Big Artiste." Christen says softly with the playful glint in her eyes, Tobin looks at her momentarily, laughing quietly again, before she shades part of Christen's left breast on the paper. Christen picks up her teasing again. 

"I can't imagine Monsieur Monet blushing." Tobin finishes off that part before looking up at her, sweating. 

"He does landscapes." She chuckles, causing Christen to grin slightly but she gets told off by Tobin lightly. "Just relax your face." 

"Sorry." Christen sighs.

"No laughing." Tobin says softly. 

Christen lets out a heavy blow of nerves before keeping quiet for Tobin to continue concentrating. 

Despite Tobin's nervousness, she draws with sure strokes, and what emerges is the best thing she has ever done. Christen's pose is languid, her hands beautiful, and her emerald eyes radiate her energy.

Tobin looks up and over her sketchbook time, and time again, just showing her capturing eyes. This is the stare old Christen sees in her memory. It is the image she will carry for the rest of her life. 

Present day... 

100 years old Christen tells this memory in her story, only her eyes are the same from that moment. 

"My heart was pounding the whole time. It was the most erotic moment of my life... up till then at least." She says stares up dreamily as she remembers that time with Tobin. 

Christen looks to her audience, they were frozen in listening, the story of Tobin and Christen has finally and completely grabbed them. 

"What, uh... happened next?" Bodine stutters out, wanting the good details. Christen smiles. 

"You mean, did we "do it"?" She causes them to chuckle. 

Back to 1912, night time... 

Tobin is signing the drawing. Christen, wearing her kimono again, is leaning on Tobin's shoulder, watching.

"Sorry to disappoint you Mr. Bodine. Tobin was very professional." Old Christen says to her group. 

Tobin signs the picture with the date 'April 14th 1912' and her initials TH. 

Tobin sighs in satisfaction, she places the picture into the sketchbook, blowing away any charcoal remains. She gives her work one last look before shutting the book and turning in her seat to look up at Christen who is leaning over shoulder and chair. She holds the book out to Christen to take. 

Christen grabs onto the book but doesn't take it from Tobin's hand. 

"Thank you." Christen whispers softly and looks into Tobin's eyes. She leans forward and locks her lips with seated girl. 

Christen tries to pull the book away while kissing but Tobin latches on tightly, causing them to have a little book wrestle, pulling back and forth. They giggle against each other's lips while fighting for it. 

...

Christen scribbles a note on a piece of Titanic stationary at the table. Tobin comes up to her. 

"Whatcha doin'?" Tobin asks. Christen doesn't say, she looks up and smiles at her. Christen grabs the now boxed again neckless from the table and hands it to Tobin. 

"Will you put this back in the safe for me?" 

Tobin gives a small 'mhmm' and moves to the safe in the other room. 

Tobin places the necklace carefully back in the safe before leaning back and looking at the content inside. She gives another whistle blow and a small shake of the head when she sees the expenses the safe holds. 

...

Servando enters from the Palm Court through the revolving door and crosses the room toward Hockley. A fire is blazing in the marble fireplace, and the usual fatcats are playing cards, drinking and talking. Cal sees Servando and detaches from his group, coming to him. 

"None of the stewards have seen her." Servando states bluntly. Annoyance crosses Cal's face. 

"This is absurd... it's a ship there's only so many places she could be...Servando. Find her." Cal says low but forceful. 

...

Titanic glides across an unnatural sea, black and calm as a pool of oil. The ships lights are mirrored almost perfectly in the black water. The sky is brilliant with stars. A meteor traces a bright line across the heavens. 

On the bridge, Captain Andonovski peers out at the blackness ahead of the ship. Quatermaster Hitchins brings him a cup of hot tea with lemon. It steams in the bitter cold of the open bridge. Second Officer Lightoller is next to him, staring out at the sheet of black glass the Atlantic has become. 

"I don't think I've ever seen such a flat calm, in 24 years at sea." Lightoller says. 

"Yes, like a mill pond. Not a breath of wind." Captain Andonovski chuckles. 

"It's make the bergs harder to see, with no breaking water at the base." The second officer skeptically says. 

"Mmmmm." The Captain sighs, looking down at his tea at hand, storing the lemon in it. "Well, I'm off. Maintain speed and heading, Mr. Lightoller." Andonovski instructions, walking pass Lightoller and heads for his cabin. 

"Yes sir." The second agrees. Andonovski stops his walking away to say one final thing. 

"And wake me, of course, if anything becomes in the slightest degree doubtful."


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter for today... enjoy :)

Tobin, now back in the long coat she borrowed from earlier, hangs an arm out the window of the extension on the suite. She's takes a feel of the howling air, feeling that it's getting colder. She turns to walk back into the sitting room, wrapping her arms around herself. 

Christen, fully dressed now, returns to the sitting room, when Tobin walks in. 

"It's getting cold." Tobin gestures to the night, blowing and rubbing her hands together. Tobin looks up and down Christen, looking at her beautiful white with a hint of pink and purple dress. "You look nice..." Tobin whispers. 

Suddenly, they hear a key in the lock with a knock at the door and the voice of Servando behind it. "Miss Christen?" 

Christen takes Tobin's hand and leads her silently through the bedrooms. Tobin realises that she's missing something and looks back. "My drawings!..." But it was too late, Servando enters the door by the sitting room door so Christen continues to drag Tobin. 

Servando looks around the sitting room seeing no one there. Then he hears a door close and he starts going through Cal's room towards Christens. 

Christen and Tobin comes out of her stateroom, closing the door. She leads Tobin quickly along the corridor toward the B deck foyer. They look at each other and start sniggering. 

They are halfway across the open space when Christen's bedroom door opens and Servando comes out. The valet sees Tobin with Christen and hustles after them. They break into a run, surprising a couple of ladies and gentlemen around them, Christen grabs Tobin's hand. 

"Come on!" Christen laughs out. 

Christen leads her past the stairs to the bank of elevators. They slide around the corner and run into one of the elevators. They shout 'Wait! Wait!' So the gates don't close and they shock the hell out of the Operator. 

"Take us down. Quickly, quickly!" Christen rushes. 

"Go, go, go!" Tobin rushes at the same time. 

The Operator scrambles to comply. Tobin even helps him close the steel gate. Servando runs up as the lift starts to descend. He slams his hands on the bars of the gate, Tobin and Christen smile teasingly at him. Christen also makes a very rude and unladylike gesture, and laughs a 'bye' in a high pitch voice as Servando disappears above to run down the stairs. The Operator gapes at her while the two women laugh, hoping to get down before the valet does. 

As the elevator comes near the bottom, not even touching the ground, Tobin jumps out first with Christen following. Tobin jumps into a steward. 

"Sorry!" Tobin laughs out with Christen, they hold hands and start speed walking again down E deck to find the stairs to F deck. 

Tobin jumps down the last couple of steps and again bumps into a steward but this one has a trolly with cups and plates on, she knocks some off but tries to catch them. 

"You got them... keep going." She chuckles to the steward who was catching stuff also, he gives her an unimpressed look. But Tobin and Christen were too giddy to care like they were just coming home from a night out. Tobin and Christen walks a little further down the corridor and through a door which has a circle window at the top, so they can look through it. 

They enter a functional space, with access to a number of machine spaces (fan rooms, boiler uptakes). They are leaning against a wall, laughing and catching their breaths.

Servando, however, has just gotten to the elevator access where Tobin and Christen got out, but they were nowhere to be seen. Servando grunts and makes his way down the hall to the stairs to F deck. 

Back to Christen and Tobin, they are still trying to catch their breaths, just taking a moment to themselves. 

They watch out through the window. Tobin lets out a blow. 

"Pretty tough for a valet, this fella." Tobin breathes out as Christen giggles. "Seems more like a cop." 

"I think he was." Christen says with her laughing calming down. "Cal's father hired him to keep his little boy out of trouble..." They relax and look at each other, a chef walks in between them, looking very confused at them both but continues to his business. "...to make sure he always got back to the hotel with his wallet, after some crawl through the less reputable parts of town..."Christen rolls her eyes and smiles still a little breathless at Tobin whose opposite her. 

Tobin looks up and down the corridor before looking at Christen. 

"Kinda like we're doin' right now, huh?..." Tobin bites her lip and pulls Christen into her, against the wall she was at. They go to kiss but Tobin looks up over Christen's shoulder and through the window to see Servando jumping for the stairs.

Servando has spotted them through the door window. 

"Oh shit!" Tobin says, surprised Servando has found them. Christen looks back to where Tobin was looking. 

"Go!" Christen shouts and they take off with Servando charging behind them. 

"Come on!" Tobin says as they run around a corner into a blind alley, Christen lets out a squeal. 

There is one door, marked Crew Only, and Tobin flings it open. "No over here!" They are both laughing. Christen lets out another squeal as Tobin slams the door shut on a raging Servando. He slams his hands on it when it gets locked by Tobin on the other side. He lets out a frustrated breath, knowing they have won this time. 

Tobin and Christen have entered a roaring pipe room, with no way out but a ladder going down. 

After Tobin locks the door, she turns around looking at Christen who has her hands over her ears, Tobin looks down the ladder. 

"Now what?!" Christen shouts over the noise, making Tobin look at her but Tobin couldn't catch what she said. 

"What?!" Tobin shouts covering her own ears. They both laugh. 

Tobin and Christen come down the escape ladder and look around in amazement. It is like a vision of hell itself, with the roaring furnaces and black figures moving in the smoky glow. They get confronted by a cockney, confused worker. 

"Hold up." Christen and Tobin look behind them to the smoke and charcoal covered man. "What you two doin' down ere?" They chuckle a bit at him and start to turn and run, he shouts after them. "You shouldn't be down ere. It could be dangerous!...Oi!" 

They run the length of the boiler room, dodging amazed stokers, and trimmers with their wheelbarrows of coal. 

"Carry on!" Tobin shouts over noise to the confused workers who are all watching them go by. "Don't mind us! You're doing a great job, keep up the good work!" Christen turns around a little while running to grab Tobin's hand. 

...

Up in the first class smoking room, unparalleled luxury, Cal sits at a card game, sipping brandy. 

"We're going like hell I tell you. I have fifty dollars that says we make it into New York Tuesday night!" Colonel Gracie bets and laugh with the other gentlemen. 

Cal stops looking at them and looks at his silver pocket watch, and scowls, not listening. Feeling as something is up. 

...

Tobin and Christen run through the open watertight door into Boiler room six. Tobin pulls her through the fiercely hot alley between two boilers and they wind up in the dark, out of sight of the working crew. Watching from the shadows, they see the stokers working in the hellish glow, shovelling coal into the insatiable maws of the furnaces. The whole place thunders with the roar of the fires. 

Tobin stops Christen to make her face her, they are panting and the furnaces roars but they don't care. They look intensely into each other's eyes for a moment before Tobin leans in, both closing their eyes. 

Tobin kisses Christen's lips, tasting the sweat trickling down from her forehead. They kiss passionately in the steamy, pounding darkness. Tongues exploring each other's mouths.

Tobin grabs onto the back of Christen's neck, pulling her in further. They both never felt so alive. 

The kiss continues to get more and more heated by the minute, Tobin moves to Christen's neck, leaving open mouth kisses down it. Christen appreciates the feeling, opening her neck that bit more for the other woman, her eyes still shut as a soft moan escapes her lips. The steam around them starts to engulf them as if this is how they are feeling. The raging, hot passion they want to show for one another. 

...

Tobin and Christen enter the storage hold, taking in all the cars, bags and other things in the giant room. However it is freezing compared to the boiler rooms. Tobin has her long coat and her normal steerage clothes on but Christen hugs herself against the cold, due to only having a simple dress on, with her one free arm as her other is holding Tobin's hand. Tobin walks them through some stacked up boxes. 

They come upon William Carter's brand new touring car, lashing down to a pallet. It looks like a royal coach from a fairy tale, its brass trim and headlamps nicely set off by its deep burgundy color. 

"Ahhh, look what we have here, huh?" Tobin says, looking at Christen momentarily, smiling, before pulling her to it. 

They let go of hands and Tobin immediately goes to the driver section, looking at every detail and mechanisms the car held up front, she was amazed. That was until she hers Christen clear her throat to get her attention. 

Tobin turns to look at her, she has a playful smirk on her lips, eyes flickering between the car's door and Tobin. Tobin smirks back when she takes the hint. 

Tobin moves around Christen, she opens the door for her and lends her a hand to help her into the car. 

"Thank you." Christen says in a posh voice, smirks never leaving one of them. 

Christen climbs into the plushly upholstered back seat, acting very royal. There are cut crystals bud vases on the walls back there, each containing a rose, Tobin shuts the door when Christen is in. Tobin jumps into the driver's seat, enjoying the feel of the leather and wood. 

Christen moves forward towards the driver part and pushes down the window separating them, she leans just over Tobin's shoulder. 

Tobin squeezes the horn stick and clears her throat which makes Christen giggle. 

"Where to, Miss?" Tobin says in a posh voice, looking over her shoulder and up a little to see Christen. 

"To the stars." Christen whispers into Tobin's ear, Tobin looks around surprised by her answer and smiles with Christen. 

Christen's hands come out of the shadows and pull Tobin over the seat into the back. They both laugh. 

Tobin lands next to Christen and her breath seems loud in the quiet darkness. Tobin looks at her and she is smiling. It is the moment of truth. Tobin wraps her arm around Christen shoulders. Christen grabs the hem of Tobin's coat pulling her in, both close and personal, both staring into each other's eyes. 

Their smiles fade as every feature on their face shows passion and a little bit of nervous but mainly their eyes show this. 

They let their outer hands play, fingers dancing around each other's as they sit in silence and continue their stares. Christen lets out a shaky breath. 

"Are you nervous?" Tobin says softly with a smile. 

Christen shakes her head very very softly, so softly in fact you could miss it. Tobin smiles at her, just cherishing her. Christen turns her head and kisses the artist's fingers. Making Tobin take a deep breath and her smiles drops again. 

Christen gives the top of Tobin's fingers one last small kiss before looking at the older woman's eyes. 

"Put your hands on me Tobin." She whispers, trying her best to hide the nerves she denied. Tobin is speechless.

Christen guides Tobin's hand onto her covered breast and Tobin instantly kisses her passionately. Christen tugs on Tobin's coat pulling her down and they slide down in the seat under Tobin's welcome weight. Their most passionate moment begins. 

...

The Titanic continues to sweep through the dark water, and at the foremast and the tiny half-cylinder of the crow's nest, Fleet and Lee are pitched  
in it. They are stamping their feet and swinging their arms, trying to keep warm in the 22 knot freezing wind, which whips capor of their breath away behind. 

"Cor... it's bloody cold." Lee shivers out as they watch the seas ahead.

"You know I can smell ice, you know, when it's near." 

"Bollocks." Lee scoffs, rolling his eyes. 

"Well I can, alright?!" Fleet tries defending himself. They both continue to rub their arms trying to get some sort of heat. 

...

Back in the storage hold, it was silent and cold, the car was the only one feeling the heat, which is completely fogged up. 

Suddenly, Christen's hand comes up and slams against the glass for a moment, making a handprint in the veil of condensation. Two final soft moans echo. 

Inside the car, Tobin's overcoat is like a blanket over them. They are huddled under it, intertwined and naked. They kiss each other softly a couple of times, coming down from their highs. 

Their faces are flushed as they look at each other wonderingly. Christen puts her hand on Tobin's face and the other latching onto her back, as if making sure she is real. Tobin holds her close, shaking and breathing heavily as for Christen too. They both shiver from the cold even if they were a bit hot too. 

"You're trembling." Christen breaths out, her thumb rubbing Tobin's cheek bone. 

"Don't worry..." Tobin gives a shaky breath and small smile. "I'll be alright." She takes a gulp and a sigh, still staring endless at each other. They kiss one last time, exhaustion coming to bay. Tobin moves her head to rest on Christen's bare chest. Christen kisses her head softly as she does. 

Christen hugs Tobin's head close to her, holding for dear life. 

They both lay there panting, not wanting the moment to end. 

"Well, I wasn't the first teenage girl to get seduced in the backseat of a car, and certainly not the last, by several million. She had such fine hands, artists' hands, but strong too... roughened by work. I remember their touch even now." Old Christen smirks to the crewmen. 

...

"They went down there." One of the boiler workers told two stewards. There was a report from the boiler workers about Tobin and Christen being in the place they shouldn't so now these two stewards were down in the storage room trying to find them. 

"Right." One of stewards say, making their ways through the stack boxes.

...

Cal stands at the open safe. He stares at the drawing of Christen and his face clenches with fury. He reads the note again: "DARLING, NOW YOU CAN KEEP US BOTH LOCKED IN YOUR SAFE...CHRISTEN". 

Servando walks in and asks... "Anything missing?" Then stands behind him, looking over his shoulder at the note and drawing. 

Cal crumples Christen's note, then takes the drawing in both hands as if to rip it in half. He tenses to do it, then stops himself. 

"I've got a better idea." Cal bitterly says. 

...

The two stewards enter. They have electric torches and play the beams around the hold. They spot the touring car with its fogged up rear window and approach it slowly. 

The torch, which the steward holds up, light up Christen's passionate handprint, still there on the fogged up glass. One steward whips open the door. 

"Got yer!" The steward shouts, hoping to find them. 

However, the back seat is empty.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter may get a little confusing now and then cause it cuts to different places quite quickly. I’ve tried my best to keep it simple yet detailed :)

Christen and Tobin, fully dressed, come through a crew door onto the deck. They can barely stand, they are laughing so hard. 

Tobin pulls Christen into her, holding each other close. 

"Did-d..." Tobin laughing too hard to get the words out properly, causing her voice to break. "Did you see those guys faces? Did you see thos..." Tobin gets cut of by Christen's fingers, pressing on her lips. Christen stares into Tobin's eyes now that her laughing has calmed. 

"When this ship docks..." Christen pants, breath clouds coming from her mouth due to the now freezing air, same with Tobin's. But they don't feel the cold at this moment. "I'm getting off with you." Christen states, seriousness laced in her voice., putting a caring hand up to Tobin cheek. 

"This is crazy." Tobin smiles, teeth showing. Christen gives a giddy laugh. 

"I know. It doesn't make any sense." Christen shakes her head smiling, moving her hand to the back of Tobin's neck playing with the baby hairs there under the rest of the mane. "That's why I trust it."

Tobin pulls her into herself and kisses her fiercely. 

Murdoch is on the bridge watching. He turns after seeing enough and smiles, chuckling at the young love. 

Up above them, in the crows nest, lookout Fleet hears the disturbance below and looks around and back down to the well deck, where he can see the two figures embracing. 

"Here... look at this." He nudges Lee giddily to look over, which he does over Fleet's shoulder. He sees the two lovers. "Cor...look at that, would ya?" 

"They're a bloody sight warmer than we are." Lee says making both of them laugh. 

"Well if that's what it takes for us two to get warm, I'd rather not alright, if it's all the same." Fleet jokes turning and pushing Lee back into his place in the nest. 

They both have a good laugh at that one. It is Fleet whose expression falls first. Glancing forward again, he does a double take. The color drains out of his face. 

A massive iceberg right in their path, 500 yards out. 

"Bugger me!!" Fleet grunts and reaches past Lee. He starts ringing the bell three times, loudly. Murdoch hears and instantly turns from his position on the bridge to look outwards. Not understanding what it's for yet. 

Fleet then grabs the telephone, calling the bridge. He waits precious seconds for it to be picket up, never taking his eyes off the black mass ahead. 

"Pick up, you bastards!” He bounces up and down on the spot. 

Inside the enclosed wheelhouse, Sixth Officer Moody walks unhurriedly to the telephone, picking it up. 

"Is there anyone there?" Fleet shouts through the phone. 

"Yes. What do you see?" Moody asks calmly in his posh voice. 

"Iceberg right ahead!" 

"Thank you." Moody hangs up with his face dropping. He calls up to Murdoch. "Iceberg right ahead!"

Murdoch sees it and rushes to the engine room telegraph. While signaling "FULL SPEED ASTERN" he yells to Quartermaster Hitchins, who is at the wheel. "Hard a' starboard." He shouts in a panic. 

Hutchins starts turning the wheel frantically until it stops. "Helm is hard over, sir!" He shouts to Murdoch, who is snatching at the bridge intensely as the iceberg draws nearer. 

In the boiler room one, Chief Engineer Bell is just checking the soup he has warming on a steam manifold when the engine telegraph clangs, then goes incredibly fast to FULL SPEED ASTERN. He and the other engineers just stare at it a second, unbelieving. Then Bell reacts. 

"Full astern! FULL ASTERN!!" His voice bellows through the room. 

"Go lads! Go!" One of the workers shouts. 

The engineers and greasers work like madmen to close steam valves and start braking the mighty propeller shafts, big as Sequoias, to a stop. 

In boiler room six, Leading Stoker Frederick Barrett, the one who caught Tobin and Christen earlier, is standing with 2nd Engineer James Hesketh when the red warning light and "STOP" indicator come on. 

"Shut all dampers! Shut 'em!!" Barrett shouts in a panic, quickly moving to help. 

From the bridge, Murdoch watches the berg growing... straight ahead. The ship still not turning. 

"Is it hard helm over?" He shouts to Hitchins.

"Yes sir!" 

Up in the nest, Fleet and Lee still bounces up and down. 

"Why isn't it turning?!" Fleet shouts to no one in particular, panting. 

"Come on... come on... come on, turn...turn..." Murdoch mutters to himself, staring intensely in front. 

The bow finally starts to come left, since the ship turns the reverse of the helm setting. 

Murdoch's jaw clenches as the bow turns with agonizing slowness. He holds his breath as the horrible physics play out. But it's too late. 

"It's gonna hit!" Someone shouts at the bow of the ship, running out of the way. 

KRUUUNCH!! The ship hits the berg on its starboard bow. 

Underwater, the ice smashes in the steel hull plates. The iceberg bumps and scrapes along the side of the ship. Rivets pop as the steel plate of the hull flexes under the load. 

The whole ship shudders. Tobin and Christen pull away from a kiss and feels it, they have shocked and confused expressions on their faces as they try to hold their balance. 

Murdoch has his hands on the bridge's wood barrier, it shakes visibly, he looks down to see it but instantly looks back up in fear. 

In the crows nest, Fleet and Lee brace themselves, holding on for dear life. 

The wheelhouse shakes. Hitchins has fear written all over his face as the main wheel shakes furiously in his tight hands. 

Down on G deck, Alex, Ashlyn and Ali hear it loudly in their cabin. They are tossed in their bunks by the impact and instantly get jolted awake, confused beyond point. The sound to them sounds like the greatly amplified squeal of a sake on ice. 

The water starts to burst through one of the storage holds. 

Up in her stateroom and sitting at the table working on some blueprints, Megan sees her brandy shake, then feels her table completely shake. She looks upwards to see her chandelier swaying like a wind chime. Her face writhing in shock. Too much of her soul is in this great ship for her not to feel its mortal wound. 

As the iceberg starts to go past, Fleet and Lee watch the mountain of ice. Trembling in the unknown and shock. 

"Shit..." Fleet breaths out. 

Seeing the iceberg near the side and judging the berg to be amidships, he wants to clear the stern. Murdoch jumps into action and starts shouting to Hitchins again. 

"Hard a'port!" 

Hitchins starts to rewind the wheel the other way. 

In the storage hold, the two stewards stagger as the hull buckles in four feet with a sound like thunder. Like a sledgehammer beating along outside the ship, the berg splits the hull plates and the sea pour in, sweeping them off their feert. The icy water swirls around the car as the men scramble for the stairs but the water it too quick, engulfing them immediately. 

Tobin and Christen hold onto each other and look up in astonishment as the iceberg sails past, blocking out the sky like a mountain. Fragments break off it and crash down onto the deck. They have to jump back to avoid the flying chunks of heavy ice. 

"Get back!" Tobin jumps in front of Christen, pushing her back. Two men had to go to the floor cause of being so close to it but they were okay. 

Tobin and Christen watch the iceberg continue to move by as it past the bridge. 

Murdoch being up there has his mouth gapped open as he watches the monster ice past. Being eye level with it, the iceberg being that much taller, brought nothing but fear to Murdoch's gut. 

In the boiler rooms, water starts flooding in, the workers start fleeing for their lives. The ice water floods into the fires, which will put them out and eventually stop the ship due to no fuelling, creating more smoke than ever. Blurring everyone's visions who are there. 

Tobin and Christen run to the side of the boat and lean over, watching as the iceberg continues to hit the ship. 

On the bridge, Murdoch runs to ring the watertight door alarm. He quicky throws the switch that closes them. 

Barrett and Hesketh hear the door alarm and scramble through the swirling water to the watertight door between Boiler Rooms 6 and 5. The room is full of water vapor as the cold sea strikes the red hot furnaces. Barrett yells to the stokers scrambling through the door as it comes down like a slow guillotine. 

"Come on, let's go!" He pushes some people through. "Get through the door!" He watches the door get lower but waits until he knows everyone he sees are through. "Go Lads! Go! Go!" 

Desperate workers push their hardest through the cold water to get to a door to secure their lives for the time being. 

When Barrett sees the door very close to the ground, he dives through into Boiler Room 5 just before the door rumbles down with a clang. Unfortunately, one worker got left behind, he panics to find another exit but it was to late, he knew he was a goner. 

Murdoch watches all the lights appear on the door scheme, revealing that all the doors are sealed shut. He turns and lets out a shaky breath, sweat dripping from his face.

In the crows nest, Fleet turns to his head to Lee.

"Oi mate... that was a close shave." He lets out a shaky breath. 

"Smell ice, can ya?" Lee grabs ahold of Fleet's coat, unimpressed. "Bleedin' Christ!" He pushes him back, panting, breath clouds escaping both of their lips. 

Tobin and Christen continue to lean over the starboard rail with some other people, watching the disruptive iceberg disappear into the darkness where it belongs.


	14. Chapter 14

The alarm bells still clatter mindlessly, seeming to reflect his inner state. Murdoch is in shock, unable to get a grip on what just happened. He just ran the biggest ship in history into an iceberg on its maiden voyage. 

"Note the time. Enter it in the log." He says stiffly to Moody. 

Captain Andonovski rushes out of his cabin onto the bridge, tucking in his shirt. He looks around to see the disruption. 

"What was that, Mr. Murdoch?" He asks bluntly. 

"An iceberg, sir." Murdoch's voice quivering. Captain Andonovski's eyes widen slightly as he gets straight into his work mode, he looks around vigorously. "I put her hard a' starboard and run the engines full astern, but it was too close. I tried to port around it, but she hit...and I-- 

"Close the emergency doors." Andonovski commands not knowing they already are. He walks out to the bridge. 

"The doors are closed, sir." Murdoch follows after him quickly. 

Together they rush out onto the starboard wing, and Murdoch points. Andonovski looks into the darkness behind, then wheels around to Fourth Officer Bohall. Andonovski moves to face forward on the bridge. 

"Find the Carpenter and get him to sound the ship." He commands Murdoch, without looking at him. He just stares at the ice on the front deck of the ship. 

"Yes sir." Murdoch runs away quickly. 

...

In steerage, Alex, Ashlyn and Ali jump out of their beds, water filling their cabin and soaks their feet. 

"Ma-- che cazzo!" (Bu— what the fuck!) Alex exclaims as her bare feet touches the freezing water. She turns on the light to see. She throws her hands up in the air and then down to slap her sides after she sees the damage the water has already done. 

"What is goin' on?!" Ashlyn says as she helps Ali down from her bed. 

"Has a piped leaked or something?" Ali asks worried and with a shudder from the coldness. She looks around the small room, holding onto Ashlyn's arm. 

"I don't know, amore..." (love) Alex says with a shrug. 

Alex comes out into the hall to see what's going on. The whole corridor is full of water and people are starting to come out their rooms with their things, makes a swift speed walk to an exit and get to higher ground. 

"Has to be a very big fucking pipe leak to fill up the whole deck." Ashlyn exaggerates from behind Alex. Ali slaps Ashlyn around the head for mocking what she said just a minute ago. "Hey!" Ashlyn rubs the back of her head. 

...

In her stateroom, Kelley gets out of her top bunk in the dark and drops down to the floor. SPLASH!! 

"Cor, blimey!! What in hell--?!" She shouts out. 

She snaps on the light like Alex did in her room. The floor is covered with 3 inches of freezing water, and more coming in. She pulls the door open, and steps out into the corridor, which is flooded. 

Alex is running towards her, yelling something in Italian. 

"Kelley! ovunque sta allagando! c'era questo brivido ... che mi spaventava a morte! Ashlyn, Ali e io ci siamo svegliati confusi! dovevo venire ad assicurarmi che stavi ben-" (Everywhere is flooding! There was this shudder... scaring the shit out of me! Ashlyn, Ali and I woke up confused! I had to come make sure your alr-) Kelley cuts Alex's rambling off with a forceful kiss, yes tongue involved. They hold each other after the kiss breaks, panting. 

"Calm down would ya?" Kelley pants out, her forehead on Alex's. 

"Calm down? Mio Dio! (My god) Did you not hear what I just said?" Alex lets out a frustrated sigh, leaning back to look at Kelley. 

"Ni... not really. You were in full blown Italian so I couldn't understand yers." Kelley smirks causing Alex to let out a small chuckle. She kisses Alex again quickly before telling her the next moves. 

"Right! Go get dressed and pack yer' tings. I'll meet you, Ashlyn and Ali in a bit." 

"But-" Alex starts to object but is cuts off. 

"No buts. I'll be fine Lass, now go!" They kiss one last time before Alex sprints to her room with the others, dodging some frantic people. 

"Fuckin' Jesus." Kelley murmurs to herself and goes back into her room to get dressed. 

...

At first class deck, a couple of people have come out into the corridor in robes and slippers. A steward hurries along, reassuring them. 

"Why have the engines stopped? I felt a shudder?" A women asks, in her beautiful materialised robe. 

"I shouldn't worry, m'am. We've likely thrown a propeller blade, that's the shudder you felt. May I bring you anything?" The steward smiles sweetly. 

Megan Rapinoe brushes past them, walking fast and carrying an armload of rolled up ship's plans. Determination valid in her walk. 

...

Tobin and Christen are still leaning over the starboard rail, looking at the hull of the ship. 

"Looks okay. I don't see anything." Tobin confirms. 

"Could it have damaged the ship?" Christen asks with a little bit of worry in her voice. 

"It didn't seem like much of a bump. I'm sure we're okay." Tobin puts a reassuring arm around Christen's shoulders who gladly hugs her back. They turn their heads to the side. 

To the side of them a couple of steerage guys are kicking the ice around the deck, laughing. This causes they to smile that people are making a light of a terrifying situation. 

...

Alex, Kelley, Ali and Ashlyn are in a crowd of steerage men, women and children clogging the corridors, heading backwards, away from the flooding. Many of them have grabbed suitcases and duffel bags, some of which are soaked. The four girls just put on their normal attire, leaving their invaluable stuff behind. 

On the ground in front of them are rats, dashing to the back as well. 

"If this is the direction the rats are runnin', it's good enough for me." Kelley says as she pulls her sweater over head then taking a hold of Alex's hand, squeezing it to reassure her. 

"Agreed." Ashlyn says behind them. She has a tight grip to Ali's hand too, protecting her almost. 

They pick up the pace into a speed walk. 

...

Back in first class. Bruce Ismay, dressed in pajamas under the topcoat, hurries down the corridor, headed for the bridge. 

An officious steward named Barnes comes along the other direction, getting the few concerned passengers back into their rooms. 

"There's no cause for alarm. Please, go back to your rooms." He tries reassurance but it doesn't completely work. 

He is stopped in his tracks by Cal and Servando.

"You there." Cal points at him. 

"Please, sir. There's no emergency--" Barnes is cut off. 

"Yes there is, I have been robbed!" Cal says frantically.

"Get the Master at Arms." Servando says bluntly stepping slightly in front of Cal. Barnes was frozen in place.

"Now you moron!" Cal shouts in his face. 

"Y-yes sir." Barnes whispers, turning to get the Master At Arms. 

... 

Down of the well deck, people continue to kick ice around on it as a 20ish Yale man pops through the door wearing a topcoat over pajamas. 

"Say, did I miss the fun?" He says to his friend, whose holding a piece of ice. The ice gets thrown to him but soon is back to the other man instantly as soon as he touches the cold block. "Did you see what happened?"

"No I missed it, apparently it hit over there..." The other man says, pointing at the right side of the bow. 

Christen and Tobin come up the steps from the well deck, which are right next to the two men. They stare as the couple climbs over the locked gate. 

A moment later Captain Andonovski rounds the corner, followed by Rapinoe and Carpenter Hutchinson. They have come down from the bridge by the outside stairs. The two men and women, their faces grim, rush right past Tobin and Christen. Rapinoe barely glances at Christen. 

"Can you shore up?" The Captain questions to the people following them. 

"Not unless the pumps get ahead." Hutchinson answers. 

The inspection party goes down the stairs to the well deck. Christen and Tobin watch them go. 

"This is bad." Tobin says lowly to Christen. Christen gives her a worried glance. 

"We should tell Mother and Cal." Christen says after a pause. 

"Now it gets worse." Tobin's sighs, rolling her eyes. 

"Come with me, Tobin. I jump, you jump... Right?" Christen snakes her arms around Tobin's waist, causing her to look at her. Tobin lets out a breath. 

"Right." Tobin huffs. Christen smiles at her, quickly kissing her. Christen turns to walk, grabbing the other woman's hand in the process. 

Tobin follows Christen through the door inside the ship. God what she does for this women. 

...

Inside the stateroom, Cal, Stacy and the Master at Arms with his men are waiting for Christen to come back, hopefully with Tobin. The Master at Arms look over Tobin's work, quite impressed.

"I think they are very good sir." He says, staring at a great male portrait Tobin has drawn. 

Cal has enough of Tobin getting praise all the time. He stands up quickly from the couch, cigarette in hand and rips the papers in the Master at Arms hands, scrunching them. It startles the other man. 

Cal sighs and turns, seeing one of the men start touching stuff. 

"Don't touch anything." He demands. "I want the entire room photographed. 

Tobin and Christen cross the foyer, hand in hand, entering the corridor. Servando is waiting for them in the hall as they approach the room. 

"We've been looking for you miss." Servando smugly smiles, both women ignore him. 

Servando follows and, unseen, moves close behind Tobin and smoothly slips the diamond necklace into the pocket of her overcoat. 

"Here we go." Christen says as they enter. 

They see Cal and Stacy waiting in the sitting room, along with the Master at Arms and two stewards (A Steward and Barnes). 

Silence as Christen and Tobin enter. Stacy closes her robe at her throat when she sees Tobin. Servando closes the door behind them as Christen begins, holding even tighter to Tobin's hand. 

"Something serious has happened." She says softly. 

"Yes it has." Cal starts giving a quick look at Servando as he walks by, Servando raises his eyebrows as to say the 'deed is done.' "Two things dear to me have disappeared this evening. Now that one is back..." He gives a hard look to Christen and Tobin. "... I have a pretty good idea where to fine the other." He looks to Tobin. "Search her." 

Tobin isn't happy. The Master at Arms steps up to her. The women let go of hands. 

"Oh now what?!" She directs to Cal. 

"Coat off, Love." 

Barnes pulls at Tobin's coat and Tobin shakes her head in dismay, shrugging out of it. The Master at Arms pats her down. 

"Cal..." Christen momentarily looks at Tobin then steps up to Cal. "What are you doing? We are in a middle of an emergency, what's going on?" She says raising her voice a little. 

Steward Barnes pulls the Heart of the Ocean out of the pocket of Tobin's coat. 

"Is this it...sir?" Dangling the necklace from his hand. 

Christen is stunned. Needless to say, so is Tobin. 

"This is horseshit!" Tobin comments loudly, screwing up her face. 

"That's it." Cal grabs the necklace. 

Christen stares at Tobin, dumbfounded. 

"Don't you believe it Christen! Don't!" Tobin says to her. 

"B-but she couldn't have." Christen says uncertain. 

"Of course she could. Easy enough for a professional." Cal says simply and bitter, staring at Tobin and making Christen think. Barnes grabs onto Tobin's arm tightly. 

"But I was with her the whole time. This is absurd." Christen lets out. Cal walks slowly behind her. 

"Maybe she did it while you were putting your clothes back on dear." Cal says lowly and cold to Christen to hear but so does Tobin giving him a disgusted look. 

"Ohhh real slick Cal..." She stares at him as he walks by before leaning closer to Christen. "Christen they put it in my pocket!" Tobin whisper shouts to her as the Master at Arms puts handcuffs on her, Barnes and the other steward holding very tight. 

"Shut up!" Cal raises his voice to Tobin. Servando speaks up while holding the coat Tobin was wearing. 

"Isn't even your pocket, is it Lass?” Tobin's case goes even more downhill. Servando reads the name on the coat. "Property of A. L. Ryerson". He smiles smugly at Cal.

Servando shows the coat to the Master at Arms. There is a label inside the collar with the owner's name. Christen remains uncertain, trying to find truth when looking at Tobin's eyes. 

"That was reported stolen today." The Master sighs deeply. Tobin rolls her eyes. 

"I just borrowed it. I was going to return it! Christen..." Tobin gets interrupted again. 

"Ah an honest thief! We have an honest thief here Servando." Cal chuckles at him. 

Christen feels utterly betrayed, hurt and confused. She shrinks away from Tobin. Tobin tries to move closer. 

"Christen, you know I didn't do this... you know it!" Desperation fills her voice. Tears fill Christen's eyes. "Don't you believe them Christen. You know it!" 

She starts shouting to her as Barnes and the Master at Arms drag her out into the hall. Christen can't look her in the eye. 

"Come on there's a good Lass!" The Master says. The two men struggle to pull Tobin out due to her strength. 

"Christen, don't listen to them... I didn't do this! You know I didn't! You know me!" Tobin shouts. 

Christen is devastated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dun... 
> 
> Hope Christen had a great bday btw 😁


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope the new year is going somewhat well for you all :) stay safe and enjoy this chapter x

The inspection party head for the chart room. When they do, Megan unrolls a big drawing of the ship across the chartroom table. It is a side elevation, showing all the watertight bulkheads. Her hands are shaking. Murdoch and Ismay hover behind Rapinoe and the Captain. 

"Water 14 feet above the keel in ten minutes... in the fireplace... in all three holds... and in boiler room six." Megan explains what will happen to the ship with the water as she goes across the drawing. 

"That's right sir." One of the crewmen say towards Captain Andonovski who watches Rapinoe intensely. 

"When can we get underway, damn it?" Bruce Ismay pips up, he clearly thinks the ship is still runnable. He rolls his eyes not seeing the seriousness of it all. 

"That's five compartments!" Megan says breathless to him, then turns back to the Captain. "She can stay afloat with the first four compartments breached. But not five. Not five. As she goes down by the head the water will spill over the tops of the bulkheads... at E Deck... from one to the next... back and back. There's no stopping it." Megan confirms, showing on the drawing again. 

"The pumps. If we open the doo-" The Captain tries to think of a way out but the builder shuts him down immediately. 

"The pumps buy you time... but minutes only. From this moment, no matter what we do, Titanic will founder." Megan sighs deeply, voice quivering. Ismay's eyes enlarge catching on to it all but still in denial. 

"But this ship can't sink!" He scoffs. 

Megan whips her head around to look at him. 

"She is made of iron, sir. I assure you, she can."Megan takes a pause. "And she will. It is a mathematical certainty." 

Andonovski looks like he has been gutpunched. 

"How much time?" The Captain wants confirmation. Megan face pales. 

"An hour." Megan whispers, the crewmen and Ismay can't believe what they are hearing. "Two at most." It is silent for a moment before the Captain speaks up. 

"And how many aboard, Mr. Murdoch?" 

"Two thousand two hundred souls aboard, sir."

A long beat. Smith turns to his employer. 

"I believe you may get your headlines, Mr. Ismay." Slight bitterness in the Captain's voice. 

...

From inside Christen's and Cal's suite, it is silent, nothing happening within the room. Just an intense silence between Cal and Christen. 

Then Hockley crosses to Christen. He regards her coldly for a moment about to say something to her but then stops. Suddenly, he slaps her furiously across her face. 

Her head turns to the side from the blow, hair covering her face. She stays like that, panting away the pain, slowly, that tingles through her skin. 

"It is a little slut, isn't it?" Cal mummers out, bitterness runs through his voice. 

To Christen the blow is inconsequential compared to the blow her heart has been given. Cal grabs her shoulders roughly. 

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!!”

There is a loud knock on the door and an urgent voice. The door opens and their steward walks in.

"Mr Hockley..." Barnes says politely. 

"Not now... we are busy!" Cal interjects but is ignored. 

"Sir, I've been told to ask you to please put on your lifebelt, and come up to the boat deck."

"I said! Not now." Cal's getting impatient. Christen just stands still and looking to the ground, not sure whether to move or not. 

The steward persists, coming in to get the lifebelts down from the top of a dresser. 

"I'm sorry about the inconvenience, Mr. Hockley, but it's Captain's orders. Please dress warmly, it's quite cold tonight. May I suggest top coats and hats." Barnes walks over to the lifebelts and Cal walks away from a hurt Christen, clutching to her left cheek. 

"This is ridiculous!" Cal whisper shouts to himself. Barnes walks up to Christen who he basically just saved from the wrath of Cal. He hands her, her life belt. 

"Not to worry, miss, I'm sure it's just a precaution." He smiles sweetly at her. 

In the corridor outside the stewards are being so polite and obsequious they are conveying no sense of danger whatsoever. However, it's another story in the third class diversion... 

Blackness in rooms, then bang! The door is thrown open and the lights snapped on by a steward. The Pugh family rouses from a sound sleep. Mal rises with doll in hand and eyes nearly shut. 

"Everybody up! Lifebelts on." The steward flings the lifebelts from the top of the wardrobe to the floor than walks out to go to another room. 

Mal's father sits up straight away, not having a clue what was happening. 

"What?! What's he on about?" He rubs the sleep out of his eyes. 

In the corridor outside, other stewards are going from door to door along the hall, pouncing and yelling. 

"Everyone out! Put your lifebelts on. Everybody up, come on. Lifebelts on!" It echos through the hall. 

People come out of the doors behind the steward, perplexed. In the foreground a Syrian woman asks her husband what was said. He shrugs. 

...

Up in the wireless room Captain Andonovski is there with the wireless operator Phillips. Phillips is looking shocked. 

"CQD, sir?" He says quickly. 

"That's right. CQD. The distress call. Tell whoever responds that we are going down by the head and need immediate assistance." All Phillips could do is nod his head. 

Andonovski hurries out.

"Blimey." Was all the operator could let out before reality kicks in. 

He starts sending history's first S.O.S. Dit dit dit, da da da, dit dit dit... over and over. 

...

On the boat deck, may crewmen are working hard to get the boat ready for passengers to board throughout the night. 

Megan comes out on deck to see how it's going and looks around in amazement. The deck is empty except for the crew fumbling with the davits. She yells over the roar of the steam to First Officer Wild. 

"Where are all the passengers?!" 

"They've all gone back inside. Too damn cold and noisy for them." He shouts quickly before going back to his job. 

Rapinoe feels like she is in a bad dream. She looks at her pocket-watch, a worried expression comes to face and heads for the foyer entrance. 

...

On the A Deck foyer, a large number of First Class passengers have gathered near the staircase. They are getting indignant about the confusion. 

Megan walks in and looks around, seeing the enormous group which has gathered with not a care in three world, everyone one is drinking and having fun to the band playing. 

“Care for a drink Miss?” A steward asks her but she gives him a blank look be fore continuing to look around. 

Molly Brown snags a passing young steward. 

“What's doing, sonny? You've got us all trussed up and now we're cooling our heels.”

The young steward backs away, actually stumbling on the stairs. 

“Sorry, madam. Let me go and find out.” He stutters and rushes up the stairs. 

Molly rolls her eyes and continues to walk with her fellow men friends. 

“I don’t think anyone knows what’s going on here.” She shakes her head and her companions agree. 

The jumpy piano rhythm of "Alexander's Ragtime Band" comes out of the first class lounge a few yards away. Band leader Wallace Hartley has assembled some of his men on Captain's orders, to allay panic. 

Hockley's entourage comes up to the A-deck foyer. Cal is carrying the lifebelts, almost as an afterthought. Christen is like a sleepwalker, silent and dull eyed. 

“It's just the God damned English doing everything by the book.” He says as a man pushes pass him, he wasn’t impressed but leaves it. 

“There's no need for language, Mr. Hockley.” Stacy states behind him. She turns to Sam, her maid and Rose, Christen’s maid, who is beside her. “Go back and turn the heater on in our rooms, so it won't be too cold when we get back. And I would like a cup of tea on return.” They both nod with a small ‘yes madam’ before walking off to the bedrooms. 

Megan Rapinoe enters, looking around the magnificent room, which she knows is doomed. Christen, standing nearby, sees Megan heartbroken expression. She walks over to her and Cal goes after her. 

Megan was about to walk up the stairs when Christen places both hands on her shoulders to turn around, which Megan does almost immediately after the touch given.

“Miss Rapinoe...” Christen is hesitant when Megan looks at her. “I saw the iceberg. And I see it in your eyes.” Megan releases a shaky breath. “Please tell me the truth.”

Megan walks down the two stairs, holding onto Christen’s arm gently as she does with her. Megan pauses for a second and studies Christen’s eyes. 

“The ship will sink.” She states and Christen’s eyes go wide but that is short lived as it turns a small frowned brow. 

“You're certain?” 

“Yes. In an hour or so...all this...” Megan looks around the room and emphasises the boat. She releases another shaky breath. “...will be at the bottom of the Atlantic.” This catches Cal’s attention. 

“What?” Now it is Cal's turn to look stunned, looking between Megan and Christen whose eyes have gone back to wide and has a small but needed gulp. The Titanic? Sinking? 

“Please tell only who you must.” Megan says between Cal and Christen, almost begging in her voice. “I don't want to be responsible for a panic. And get to a boat quickly. Don't wait.” Megan states firmly and a shaky hand goes to Christen’s mouth. “You remember what I told you about the boats?” 

Christen’s hand slowly lowers and rests on Megan’s chest, just below her left shoulder. Cal watches the interaction carefully but decides just to listen at the important conversation. 

“Yes, I understand.” Christen breaths out. Megan and Christen exchange a look and silently communicate with a small nod each. 

Rapinoe goes off after giving Christen’s arm one final squeeze and starts moving among the passengers and urging them to put on their lifebelts and get to the boats.

Christen stands there for a moment, letting her brain analysis and accept the information just given to her. 

...

Down in the Master in Arms office, which is very much below deck and near the front of the boat, Servando and the Master at Arms are handcuffing Tobin to a water pipe. 

“Over here, Miss.” The Master at Arms guides Tobin’s arms around the water pipe, making her hug as she stands against it. She shivers slightly at the contact of the cold pole as it goes through her thin shirt and suspenders to her warm skin. He fixes the handcuffs firmly to Tobin’s wrists, definitely no way of getting out now. 

Suddenly a crewman rushes in anxiously and almost blurts to the Master at Arms...

“You're wanted by the Purser, sir. Urgently.” He says out of breath, all of them look at him. 

“Go on. I'll keep an eye on her.” Servando states and pulls a handgun out of his jacket to suggest that if she does anything stupid, she will know about it. Tobin looks at him with a bit of wide eyes but tries not to show it. 

The Master at Arms nods with an ‘alright’ and tosses the handcuff keys to Servando, then exits with the crewman. 

Servando flips the key in the air and catches it with a smug smile and Tobin. All she could do was gulp and watch his every move. 

He walks over to a chair in the small room which was facing directly to Tobin and sits down, gun still in hand. Tobin shifts on her feet a little, nervous slightly at what will happen. 

...

Up on the bridge, Junior Wireless Operator Bride is relaying a message to Captain Andonovski from the Cunard Liner Carpathia. 

“Carpathia says they're making 17 knots, full steam for them, sir.” 

“And she's the only one who's responding?” Andonovski asks calmly. 

“The only one close, sir.” Bride shouts over the steamers. “She says they can be here in four hours.” The Captain gives him wide eyes. 

“Four hours!”

The enormity of it hits Andonovski like a sledgehammer blow. All he could do is sigh.

“Thank you, Bride.” His voice returns calm as he turns and looks over the deck below and out towards the blackness. Bride nods and makes a swift exit into the wheel room. 

“My God.” The Captain says to himself. 

...

Now at the boat deck, The Captain is looking around and watches as his men prepare the boats. 

Second officer Lightoller has his boats swung out. He is standing amidst a crowd of uncertain passengers in all states of dress and undress. One first class woman is barefoot. Others are in stockings. The maitre of the restaurant is in top hat and overcoat. Others are still in evening dress, while some are in bathrobes and kimonos. Women are wearing lifebelts over velvet gowns, then topping it with sble stoles. Some brought jewels, others books, even small dogs. 

Lightoller sees Andonovski looking around stiffly so he quickly goes to him. He yells into the Captain's ear, through cupped hands, over the roar of the steam... 

“Hadn't we better get the first class women and children into the boats, sir?” Andonovski says something but Lightoller couldn’t hear him. “Sir?” 

Andonovski nods, a bit abstractly. The fire has gone out of him. “First class women and children first...yes.” Lightoller sees the uncertain truth in Andonovski face. 

“Yes sir.” Lightoller nods and backs away, leaving the stunned Captain. He moves over to the gathered first class group of men, women and children quickly. 

“Right! Ladies and Gentlemen, can I have your attention please!” He shouts over the steam. “Make this way please! That’s right, come towards me! Thank you!” He ushers them towards him with his hands and suddenly the appalling din of escaping steam abruptly cuts off, leaving a sudden unearthly silence in which Lightoller's voice echoes. 

“Good... for the time being it shall only be first class women and children...” He instructs. 

Just down the deck, Wallace and his band come out to play. 

“Alright boys. Like the Captain said nice and cheery so there no panic.” Wallace says and starts raising his violin to play. “Wedding dance. Ready and...” 

The band has reassembled just outside the First Class Entrance, port side, near where Lightoller is calling for the boats to be loaded. They strike up the wedding dance song, lively and elegant. The music wafts all over the ship. But Lightoller shouts can still be heard.

...

Down in the steerage corridors and stairways, it is chaos, with stewards pushing their way through narrow corridors clogged with people carrying suitcases, duffel bags, children. Some have lifebelts on, others don't. 

A steward is still shouting ‘put you lifebelts on’, basically chucking them people’s way. 

Alex, Kelley, Ashlyn and Ali push past the stewards, going the other way. Kelley grabbing a lifebelt and putting it on, Ashlyn and Ali do the same but Alex for some reason doesn’t. Kelley gives her an unpleased look but leaves it by kissing her cheek quickly. 

They rech a huge crowd gathered at the bottom of the main 3rd class stairwell. They pause for a moment looking around. Kelley let’s go of Alex’s hand for a moment. 

Kelley starts to push up the stairs full of people to where she can see what's holding up the group. 

“Go with her Ash.” Ali whispers ana Ashlyn nods, following her. Ali moves to Alex and holds her hand and gives a reassuring squeeze, they give a small smile to each other and watch their partners go up the stairs. 

Kelley and Ashlyn make it to the top and sees there is a steel gate across the top of the stairs, with several stewards and seamen on the other side. 

“Stay calm, please. It's not time to go up to the boats yet.” They exchange an angry and almost nervous hard look. 

At the bottom of the stairs, near Alex and Ali, an Irishwomen stands stoically with two small children and their battered luggage.

“What are we doing, mummy?” The little boy asks his mother, tugging her dress slightly. She looks down at him. 

“We're just waiting, dear. When they fiish putting First Class people in the boats, they'll be startin' with us, and we'll want to be all ready, won't we?” She says calmly to her children who give a smile and a nod. She looks back up towards the stairs, making sure her children don’t see her worried face. 

...

Boat 7 is less than half full, with 28 aboard a boat made for 65. Still it is being lowered...

“Lower away! By the left and right together, stady lads!” Murdoch shouts and guides his crew. 

The boat lurches as the falls start to pay out through the pulley blocks. The first class women gasp. The boat descends, swaying and jerking, toward the water 60 feet below. 

The left side is lowered too quickly causing the boat to lean towards one side. The passengers are terrified and scream. 

“Hold the left side! Right side only! Right side only!” Murdoch shouts as the screams below continue. The boat starts to level out and the people start to calm down. “And lower away together! Steady lads!” Murdoch watches the boat go down correctly. 

Flares start to be released up on the bridge, startling some people but they know it’s necessary. Everyone watches them. The loud band echoes causing some to gasp. Christen and her family watches as it lights up the starry sky. 

Down towards the hull of the Titanic, the rows of portholes angling down into the water, which one is to the Master at Arms room. Under the surface, they glow green. One of porthole which is nearly submerged, Tobin is looking apprehensively at the water rising up the glass. 

Inside the Master at Arms office, Tobin remains standing chained to the waterpipe, next to the porthole. Tobin sighs and looks at her holder. Servando sits on the same chair and a reclining desk is in front of him now, obviously has moved cause of the boat starting to descend below water line. He puts a bullet on the desk and watches it roll across and catches it before it falls off, he does this a couple of times. 

He smirks up to Tobin and place the bullet back into the gun. 

“You know. I do believe this ship may sink.” He stands up walking towards a concern Tobin. Tobin tries to back up slightly but is stopped by the wall. “I've been asked to give you this small token of our appreciation...”He punches Tobin hard in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her. 

She gasps for air and grunts as she is forced to her knees with the punch, her arms remaining above her due to the handcuffs. Her face grimace. 

“Compliments of Mr. Caledon Hockley.” Servando states and walks back to the desk, grabbing the handcuff key on top of it. 

He flips the key in the air, catches it and puts it in his pocket, then makes a swift exit. Tobin is left gasping and still handcuffed to the pipe.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry been so long since last update, been quite busy with two new pups! 😁 Hope everyone is doing well, enjoy this chapter.

Out on the boat deck port side, Second Officer Lightroller is loading the boat nearest Cal, Stacy Molly and Christen... Boat 6. 

Molly is helping to board the first class women on the boat. “Come on Sister, you heard the man, into the boat.” She helps a lady into the boat. Cal takes this chance to be cocky but hopefully with his question. 

“Any room for a gentlemen...gentleman?” He smirks to the men boarding the boat with the women. Cal is met with instant denial. 

“Only the Women at this time Sir.” One of the seamen say bluntly as he guides another first class women to the boat. Cal tuts to himself. 

Christen watches in silence as the boat is being boarded but that is short lived when her mother decides to speak up, her stubbornness coming through every word. 

“The lifeboats are to be seated according to class, aren’t they?” Christen gives her mother a cold, hard look as the dopey women turns around. “...hope they aren’t too crowded.” Stacy chuckles. Christen has had enough of her mother’s selfish and arrogant state, Christen turns angry and shouts at her mother. 

“Oh, Mother shut up!” Stacy freezes, mouth gaped and eyes wide. Christen grape onto Stacy’s arms and shakes her a little, hopefully shaking some sense into her. “Don't you understand? The water is freezing and there aren't enough boats... not enough by half. Half the people on this ship are going to die.” Christen states facts towards her mother but Stacy is too shocked by Christen’s outburst to say anything. Cal nears them slightly and smirks. 

“Not the better half.” He says bitterly. Christen looks at Cal, anger clear in her eyes, she lets go of Stacy’s arms. 

But then it hits her like a thunderbolt causing her eyes to widen slightly. 

Tobin is third class. She doesn't stand a chance. 

Christen continues her stare down with Cal as Molly speaks up to Stacy. 

“Come on, Stacy, get in the boat.” Stacy turns to Molly whose in the boat already and grabs her outstretched hand for support. “That’s it, your seat is right up here.” Stacy gets into the boat with Molly, near the front. 

Meanwhile, Cal speaks up his spiteful words again towards Christen. “You know...” He steps closer to her. “It’s a pity I didn’t keep that drawing, it would be worth a lot more by morning.” He says with his signature evil smirk. 

Another rocket is sent up into the sky, causing a white glow over Christen’s face as she knows what the bitter words mean. If Tobin was to died, her drawing would sell for great money. 

Christen could feel the angry boiling within her. “You unimaginable bastard.” She gives him a dangerous glare, she was in pure disbelief he would think such thing. Cal looks Christen up and down before moving closer to the boat to watch, leaving Christen standing there. 

“Come on, Christen. There’s plenty of room for you.” Christen turns to the voice, it’s Molly outstretching her hand for her to take. “You're next, darlin'.”

“Come into the boat Christen.” Stacy demands next to Molly, her hand outstretched too. 

“Come...” Cal says, going to guide Christen to the boat. Christen looks between all three of them. 

Christen steps back slightly, shaking her head. 

“Christen...” Stacy says, causing Christen to focus on her. Stacy looks around, embarrassed by what people must think of her outrageous daughter. “...get in the boat!” Stacy says high pitchy, almost desperate too. 

“Christen?” Molly says, wondering what the hell the girl is doing. Christen pants slightly before making up her decision. 

“Goodbye, mother.” Christen breathes out before looking at Cal one last time and rushing to turn and find Tobin. 

Stacy is standing in the tippy lifeboat, can do nothing to stop her daughter. “Christen? Christen come back here!” She shouts after Christen but it’s useless. Cal goes after her. 

Cal catches up to Christen and grabs her roughly, making her grunt.

“Where are you going?” He then close as he asks the question but he already knew the answer. “To her? Is that it? To be a whore to that gutter rat?!” He raises his voice in disbelief that she would go after such scum. 

“I'd rather be her whore than your wife.” Christen whispers coldly, meaning every word that comes out of her mouth. This just makes Cal more angry and annoyed. 

He clenches his jaw and squeezes her arm viciously, as she goes to rush off again. “No!” He shouts at her, she struggles in his grip to get away. People are looking at them. “I said no!” 

That’s when Christen thinks of what Tobin taught her with the spitting. She hurdles her saliva at the back of her throat and spits it directly into Cal’s face, causing him to let go instantly. She takes her chances and runs away from Cal to find Tobin. He is left there stunned and wiping his face. 

“CHRISTEN!” Stacy shouts at the top of her lungs as Christen runs away. It was to late, the boat began to lower at Lightroller’s command. 

“And...Lower away!” 

“No, wait! Christen!” Stacy cries, gripping onto the side of the Titanic as they lower but it’s no use. She may never see her daughter again. 

...

The Titanic is now sinking quickly, especially the front. Tobin, who is now recovered for the punch, can tell this as she looks out the now fully submerged window. 

“Help!” She shouts, turning towards the door. “Can anybody hear me?!” She shouts as she clangs the cuffs loadstone against the metal pipe. “Hello?! Help me!!” It’s not use. The corridors are empty, not a soul in sight. Her voice and clang of the pipe and cuffs are the only thing echoing through them. As well as the rapid water filling them. 

...

In the first class corridor, Christen runs through them hoping to find Megan. “Miss Rapinoe!” 

Megan is opening stateroom doors, checking that people are out. 

“Anyone in here?” She shouts, with no answer she shouts it again. 

“Miss Rapinoe!” Christen comes around the corner. 

She runs up to Megan, breathless. 

“Miss Rapinoe, thank God! Where would the Master at Arms take someone under arrest?!” Megan looks at her confused. 

“What? You have to get to a boat right away!” Megan pushes Christen slightly to edge her on her way but she doesn’t go. 

“No!” Christen pants out. “I'll do this with or without your help, Madam... But without will take longer.” Christen looks hopeful and Megan who is conflicting what to answer. Megan can see in Christen’s eyes that she’s dead certain on what she’s doing. Megan sighs, beat. 

“Take the elevator to the very bottom, go left, down the crewman's passage, then make a right.” Christen nods through the instructions given to her. “And left again at the stairs, you’ll come to a long corridor...” 

...

Tobin pants, she’s beat. Sweat dripping down her forehead, which her hair sticks slightly to, from using her strength on the pipe that won’t budge and from her shouting, she’s slowly giving up. 

“This could be bad.” She whispers to herself, resting her heated head against the cold metal. For a moment it felt good to cool down her red face and neck. 

Suddenly, she hears gurgling sound. She whips her head towards the door, some hair going in front of her eyes. Water pours under the door, spreading rapidly across the floor. 

“Oh shit!” She panics. “Awhh shit!” She turns back to the pole and looks around at her options. 

She climbs up on to the desk which has moved over near her, it gives her more of a leverage to use her strength again. Her arms move to the level part of the pipe and she’s hovering above it. She starts shaking and pulling on the pipe with all that she’s got to try and pull the pipe apart. It shows she’s using all that she has to get this apart cause her straining grunts fill the room with the rush of the water. 

...

Christen runs down the main elevator hall, pushing through the crowd, as the last Elevator Operator is closing up his lift to leave. He’s talking to a first class couple saying the lifts are closed and that they can’t go back to their room for their things. 

This doesn’t stop Christen from trying to get into the lift. But the operator puts his arms firmly in between her and the lift entrance. Stopping her. 

“I’m sorry Miss but the lifts are closed.” He says bluntly. Christen panting looks between him and the lift. 

Without thinking she grabs him and shoves him back into the lift. 

“I'm through with being polite, goddamnit!!” She shouts, pushing his back into the wall of the lift. He looks at her like she has three heads. “Now take me down!!” She points to the lever of the lift, he immediately obeys, not wanting to get further on her bad side. “E deck.” She says as she closes the gates. 

...

Tobin was back standing on the floor, her attempts clearly not working as she’s still attached to the pipe. 

She watches the water start to get high, her breathing heavy. 

She turns to her cuffs and tries to pull one hand out of the cuffs, working it until the skin is raw. “Come on, come on, come onnn!...” She grunts through gritted teeth. Pulling at the cuffs was no use. She whips her head back to the water which is rising dangerously quick. 

...

Through the wrought iron door of the elevator car Christen can see the decks going past. No talking at all between her and the operator, just her heavy breathing which she is trying to calm. The lift starts to slow down. 

Suddenly ice water is swirling around her legs. She screams in surprise as does the operator. The car has landed in a foot of freezing water, shocking the hell out of her. 

“I’m going back up!” The operator shouts, he goes to pull the lever to go up but Christen stops him. 

“No, no!” She shouts and pushes him momentarily. 

She claws the door open and splashes out, the operator calling after her. “Come back!” But that does last long. “I’m going back up! I’m going back up!” He panics and fumbles with the lever but the lift soon works again. The lift goes back up, behind her, as she looks around. 

She starts to move down the corridor, finding it hard to concentrate and walking through the piercing water. 

“Left, crew passage.” She whispers to herself, looking around. 

She spots it and slogs down the flooded corridor. The place is understandably deserted. She is on her own.

...

Tobin looks around, panting and worried, the water stinging her feet so they are near numb. She climbs up onto the desk again for some sort of sanctuary. 

... 

“Right, right... right.” Christen says to herself again. The lights in the corridors now going on and off, causing everything to go dark now and then. Chairs, draw frames, pillows... anything that could be found in rooms just floating in the water. Christen throws on of draw boxes behind, out of her way. 

She turns into a cross-corridor, splashing down the hall. A row of doors on each side, she looks down both sides, panting and panicking slightly that she may not find Tobin before it’s too late. 

“Tobin?!” She shouts down the hall but she was met with nothing but the rush of water sounds. The lights start to flicker again. “TOBIN?!” 

Tobin pants to herself, starting to realise there’s no use to fight, she’s a goner. But then she hears something, like her name being called. She stays silent for a minute to see if the voice shouts again. 

“Tobin!” It’s Christen. Some relief washes over Tobin’s face. 

“Christen!” She shouts as loudly as she could. 

Christen turns in her tracks, hearing Tobin’s voice shouts after her. “Tobin!” She shouts again, relief washing over her face too, temporarily. 

“I’m in here Christen! I’m in here!” Tobin shouts, clanging her cuffs against the metal like she’s done before so Christen can follow the noise. 

Christen starts running towards the noise, ready to see Tobin again. 

Locating the right door, she pushes it open, creating a small wave. They see each other finally, so happy for the moment. 

She splashes over Tobin and puts her arms around her neck, crying a little in relief and regretfulness. 

“Tobin, Tobin, oh god Tobin... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.” Christen lunges forward and kisses Tobin like her life depends on it, she needed this. They needed this.

Tobin wishes she could put her arms around Christen but her hands are still cuffed. 

“That guy Servando put it in my pocket.” Tobin breaks the kiss to look at Christen, she sees the tears on her cheeks. 

“I know, I know.” Christen hysterically says, pulling Tobin’s head down for a quick hug. Tobin pulls back up, really wanting to get out of the cuffs but mainly out of lower deck. 

“Listen Christen... You’re gonna have to find a spare key for these, alright?” Tobin says, Christen nods. Tobin points over to some drawers and cabinets. “Look in that cabinet right there.” Christen pushes a floating box out the way and goes to the cabinet. “It's a little silver one Christen.” 

Christen looks through the cabinet full of keys but the key they want isn’t there. “These are all brass ones.” 

Tobin kicks out at the desk. “Check right here Christen.” Hoping that it could be in the draw of it. Christen goes over and looks through everything. Tobin speaks up though. 

“Christen....” She pants out, Christen whips her head around from what she’s doing to look at Tobin. “...how did you find out I didn't do it?” Tobin smiles ever so softly. 

“I didn't. I just realized I already knew.” 

They share a loving look but then Tobin realised they are running out of time. “Keep looking!” Christen goes back to ransacking the room, searching drawers and cupboards.

Christen stops trashing the room, and stands there, breathing hard. 

“No key. There's no key.” Christen says.

They look around at the water, now almost two feet deep. Tobin speaks up. 

“You have to go find some help.” Christen looks at Tobin skeptically. “It’ll be alright.” Tobin reassures Christen, looking deeply into her eyes so she knows she’s telling the truth. 

Christen sighs and nods. She makes her way over to Tobin and puts her hand on the back of her neck. “I'll be right back.” She whispers before pulling Tobin into a deep kiss. They pull apart and Christen runs out the room as quickly as can considering the water depth. 

“I'll just wait here.” Tobin calls out pointlessly. She looks around at the swirling water and sighs. Hoping and praying Christen comes back with good news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if there are any mistakes! :)


	17. Chapter 17

Christen splashes down the hall to a stairwell going up to the next deck, the water is now up to her waist which makes it ten times harder to walk and of course it's deathly cold. 

She climbs the stairs, her long coat leaving a trail like a giant snail. The weight of it is really slowing her down now that she's at a level where the water hasn't reached yet.

She's now in a long corridor part of the labyrinth of steerage hallways forward. She is alone here. A long groan of stressing metal echoes along the hall as the ship continues to settle. She runs down the hall, unimpeded now. Her breath is heavy as she runs to find someone, shouting. 

"Hello, is there anyone here?" She goes around corners that lead in different direction. "Hello?! Is there anyone down here?! We need help! Hello?!" Panic is evident in her voice, she's getting worried she won't be able to save the love of her life from this wreck. "Damn it!" She whimpers to herself, on the verge of tears, as she runs through the hall. 

She turns a corner and runs along another corridor in a daze. The hall slopes down into water which, shimmers, reflecting the light. The margin of the water creeps toward her. A man appears, running through the water, sending up geysers of spray. He runs towards her without slowing, his eyes crazed and muttering panicked words in his language. Christen hoped he would help her. 

"Oh thank god!" She blocks his way, grabbing onto his coat hoping it would stop him but he doesn't. "Wait! Please I need your help! There's a women back here and-" He pushes past Christen and doesn't look back, trying to find a way out, leaving Christen hopeless and alone again. 

Christen pants out, worry fully in her eyes as she pauses still in the hallway looking around and the hull gongs with terrifying sounds and creaks. 

"Hello?" She cries out weakly to no one in particular. 

She starts to walk back in Tobin's direction but then the lights flicker and go out, leaving utter darkness. A beat. Then they come back on. She finds herself hyperventilating and back against the tilting wall. That one moment of blackness and pure creaking of the metal was the most terrifying of her life. 

She gulps and lets out one last shaky breath to regain herself again. And then right there she hears foot steps. 

"Hello?"

A steward comes around the nearest corner, his arms full of lifebelts. He is upset to see someone still in his section. He grabs her forcefully by the arm, pulling her with him like a wayward child. 

"Aw Miss you shouldn't be here." He continues to pull her and not let her get a word in. "Come on, then, let's get you topside, Miss, that's right."

"Wait. Wait! I need your help! There's a women down here and she needs-" She struggles in his grip. 

"No need for panic, Miss. Come along!" 

"No, let me go! You're going the wrong way!" She cries and struggles to get her hand out his. 

He's not listening and he won't let her go. This is when she has had enough. 

"LISTEN!" She shouts in his ear, and when he turns, she punches him squarely in the nose. Shocked, he lets her go and staggers back, blood dripping down his nose. 

He looks at her in shock. "To Hell with you!" The steward runs off, holding his bloody nose. She pants and leans on the wall momentarily. 

She turns around and sees a glass case with a fire-axe in it. She breaks the glass with the fire hose handle next to the case and seizes the axe, running back the way she came. To Tobin. 

At the stairwell, she looks down and gasps. The water has flooded the bottom five steps. She goes down and has to crouch to look along the corridor to the room where Tobin is trapped. 

"Oh my god." She whispers to herself, the water is so high, will definitely be chest height now. She leans back up on to the stairs and takes off her heavy and long coat, throwing it to the side in the water. She is left in her thin pink and purple dress.

She takes a deep breath and plunges into the water, which is, as guessed, up to her chest. She exclaims as she enters the icy water, seeming a lot cold to her than it was before. 

But she powers forward, holding the axe above her head in two hands. She grimaces at the pain from the literally freezing water but that doesn't matter. All that matters is getting to Tobin, hopefully it's not too late. 

The lights continue to flicker and the creaking is getting louder as well as the rush of water with it. She pants her way through it all, trying to scare herself. 

After a few more feet of walking, she finally reaches the office and sees Tobin. 

Tobin has climbed up on the desk, and is hugging the waterpipe. Christen wades in, holding the axe above her head. 

"Tobin." She smiles a little. Tobin turns her head to look behind her and is relieved to see Christen back and safe. Andddd then she see the axe... she gulps to herself. 

"Christen..." Christen walks over to Tobin, showing the axe to her now in front of herself, not above her head.

"Will this work?" 

"I guess we'll find out." Tobin says with a shaky breath, eyes fixed on the axe momentarily. They are both terrified, but trying to keep panic at bay. "Come on." 

She positions the chain connecting the two cuffs, stretching it taut across the steel pipe. The chain is of course very short, and Tobin's exposed wrists are on either side of it, this could be a lethal moment if Christen doesn't get the swing right. 

Christen goes to swing the axe with a very lose grip but before she does Tobin stops her. "Wait, wait, wait, wait!..." Christen stops and looks at Tobin. "Try a couple practice swings over there." Tobin gestures with her head behind Christen to the wooden cabinet. So Christen turns and goes to it. 

Christen hefts the axe and thunks it into a wooden cabinet with a grunt. She looks over a Tobin for approval. 

"Good! Now try and hit the same mark again Christen, you can do it." Tobin encourages her. She nods and turns back. 

She swings hard and the blade thunks in four inches from the mark. 

"Okay..." Tobin visibly gulps but luckily Christen was still turned around to see it. "That's enough practice. Come on Christen..." Tobin lines up the cuffs again. "...you can do it!" Tobin tried to encourage again as Christen makes her way back over and gets ready to swing. "Listen, just hit it hard and really fast. Come on." 

Christen gets ready to swing but Tobin sees a potentially lethal error. Christen's hands are way too low on the axe, the swing could go anywhere. "Wait, put your hands up a little more." Christen nods and does as instructed.

"Like that?" 

"Right." Tobin nods. "Listen Christen, I trust you." Tobin looks into Christen's eyes showing that she does and all Christen can do is give a shaky breath and nod, then looking at her target. Christen is ready to swing.

Tobin winces and squeezes her eyes shut and bracing herself as Christen raises the axe. She has to hit a target about an inch wide with all the force she can muster, with her hands on either side. 

"Go!" Tobin grunts out through gritted teeth. Christen swings the axe, closing her eyes when she does but luckily...

The axe comes down. Whack! They both exclaim as it does. 

Christen gingerly opens her eyes and looks... Tobin is grinning with two separate cuffs on her wrists. 

They both cheer and laugh. Smiling ear to ear that Christen was actually able to do it. Christen drops the axe, all the strength going out of her. 

"You did it!" Tobin smiles hugging Christen quickly. "Come on! Let's go!" The water is getting dangerously high. 

Tobin climbs down into the water next to Christen. She can't breathe for a second. 

"Oh shit! This is cold!" Tobin exclaims as she pushes through the water behind Christen. She couldn't stop cursing. "Oh shit! Shit...shit... shit!" She says in a high pitch voice, Christen can't help but chuckle slightly. 

They wade out into the hall. Christen starts toward the stairs going up, but they stop by what they see. There is only about a foot of the stairwell opening visible, water viciously pouring through. 

"This was the way out!" Christen shouts over the rush of water. Tobin looks behind her and though maybe this was the best way to go. 

"We have to find another way." Tobin grabs onto Christen's cold hand. "Come on!" They turn around and move. 

...

The Titanic was slowly disappearing to the depth of Mother Nature. Once 50 feet above the waterline, the vast vessel was now quietly slip below the surface. Gold on black, rippling and dimming to a pale green as she goes deeper. 

In boat 6, Stacy and Molly looks back at the Titanic, transfixed by the sight of the dying liner. The bowsprit is now barely above the waterline. Another of the rockets explodes overhead. K-BOOM! It lights up the whole area, and half a dozen boats in the water, spreading out from the ship. 

Both Molly and Stacy couldn't believe what they were seeing. They could hear the chatter and sometimes children crying in the hollow of the night from the Titanic's decks. 

"Now there's somethin' you don't see every day." She whispers to Stacy. Molly didn't get a reply back, Stacy was there just watching, mouth gaped slight and worry written over her face, wishing her daughter was next to her right now. 

...

On the boat deck, the action has moved to the daft group of boats, numbers 9, 11, 13 and 15 on the starboard side, and 10, 12, 14 and 16 on the port side. The pace of work is more frantic. Crew and officers running now to work the davits, their previous complacency gone. 

Cal pushes through the crowd, scanning for Christen but has no luck. 

Cal then sees Servando hurrying toward him through the aisle connecting the port and starboard sides of the boat deck. Cal hopes he has some good news of his rebel fiancée. 

"Servando?" 

"She's not on the starboard side either." Servando complies, Cal sighs annoyed. 

"We're running out of time. And this strutting martinet isn't letting any men, first or third class, in at all." Cal indicates to the crew loading the boats. 

"The one on the other side is letting men in." Servando smirks. Cal nods.

"Well then that's our play." Cal pauses to take a breath. "But we're still going to need some insurance first." Cal smiles. "Come on."

Cal charges off, heading forward, followed by Servando. 

...

E deck is the widest passageway in the ship, it is used by crew and steerage alike, and runs almost the length of the ship. Right now steerage passengers move along it like refugees, heading a draft. 

CRASH! A wooden doorframe splinters and the door bursts open under the force of Tobin's shoulder. Tobin and Christen stumble through, into the corridor, startling a few people. A Steward, who was nearby herding people along, marches over. 

"Here!" He shouts at Tobin and Christen, especially Tobin for breaking the frame. But neither one of them listen, they look around and start walking down the hall quickly, Tobin grabbing onto Christen's hand, but is followed by the raging steward. "What do you think you're doing?! You'll have to pay for that, you know. That's White Star Line property--"

"SHUT UP!" Tobin and Christen shout, turning at the same time behind them at the steward as they walk. 

Tobin leads Christen with her and leaves the dumbfounded steward frozen to the spot. They join the steerage stragglers going through the halls. In places the corridor is almost completely blocked by large families carrying all their luggage. 

An Irish women gives Christen a blanket, more for modesty than because she is blue-lipped and shivering. 

"Here, lass, cover yerself." The women smiles as does Christen. 

Tobin rubs Christen's arms and tries to warm her up as they walk along. The Irish woman's husband offers them a flask of whiskey. 

"This'll take the chill off." Tobin grabs it with a grin. 

"Cheers!" She gestures with the flask to the man and takes a big gulp, Christen playfully rolls her eyes at her as they both walk. The women and man chuckle at her too. This is what is so unique with Christen and Tobin, they always seem to find perfect little moments even in the worst of times. 

Tobin tries a number of doors and iron gates along the way, finding them all locked. 

...

Back up on boat deck, a woman takes hold of Second Officer Lightoller's arm as he is about to launch Boat 10. 

"Will you hold the boat a moment? I have to run back to my room for something--"

Lightoller grabs her and shoves her bodily into the boat. "Sit down!" He says to the now appalled women from being man handled. "She's the last." He says to his crew. But Megan Rapinoe rushes up to him just then. 

"Mr Lightoller! Why are the boats being launched half full?!" She asks in disbelief. 

Lightoller steps past her, helping a seaman clear a snarled fall. 

"Not now, Miss Rapinoe." He tries to dismiss her but it doesn't work. She points down to the water. 

"There, look...twenty or so in a boat built for sixty five. And I saw one boat with only twelve. Twelve!" She starts to exclaim. Lightoller starts to stutter and explain reasoning. 

"Well... we weren't sure of the weight Miss Rapinoe, these boats may buckle-" 

"Rubbish! They were tested in Belfast with the weight of 70 men. Now fill these boats, Mr. Lightoller. For God's sake, man!" She shouts at him. 

He looks between her, the boats already out on water and the people around. Conflict of decision. 

"Please...please! I need more first class women and children please!" He starts filling the boat properly. 

...

Down on the side of the vessel, a boarding door is open, Alex and Ali were looking out of it. They watched as all the boats are going. They look at each other with worried looks. 

"This is not an exit!" A seaman shouts and pushes the two women back in, slamming the door shut. 

Kelley, with Ashlyn, has her hands on the bars of the steel gate which blocks the head of the stairwell. 

"You can't keep us locked 'ere like animals!" Kelley shouts to the stewards through the gate. "The ships bloody sinking!" 

"Bring forward the Women with children! No one else!" The steward shouts, frustrated. "Open the gate!" He commands to the men behind him. They open the gate, letting a women with her child come through. 

But some terrified men and women without children, not understanding English, try to rush through the gap, forcing the gate open. The crewmen and stewards push them back, shoving and punching them. Chaos breaks out.

"Get back! Get back you lot!" The steward shouts."Lock it!!"

They struggle to get the gate closed again, while Steward brandishes a small revolver. Another holds a fire axe, hitting anyone with the wood of it. They lock the gate, and a cry goes up among the crowd, who surge forward, pounding against the steel and shouting in several languages. 

Tobin and Christen make it the bottom of the stairs, watching the commotion in front of them. Hands tight together. 

“For the love of God, man, there are children down here! Let us up, so we can have a chance!” Kelley screams at the man, he was unfazed. Kelley shakes the gate angrily once before descending down the stairs. 

“The blood of everyone down here are on your hands bitch!” Ashlyn spits at the man, following Kelley with a sigh. 

The crewmen are scared now. They have let the situation get out of hand, and now they have a mob. 

At the bottom of the stairs, Kelley spots Tobin.

“Tobin!” She shouts, catching her attention. 

“Kelley! Can we get out?” Tobin asks as Kelley joins her and Christen with Ashlyn. 

“It's hopeless that way.” Kelley shouts over the crowd so Tobin can hear and points up to where she’s just come from. 

“The assholes aren’t moving Tobs.” Ashlyn says, out of breath. Tobin nods her head, Christen keeping close to her behind her. 

“Well, whatever we're goin' to do, we better do it fast.” Kelley and Ashlyn nods at her, she was going to talk again but her name gets called. 

“Tobin!” A think Italian accent shouts. Tobin knew who that was straight away, she turns to her right and sees Alex running to her, Ali close behind. 

“Alex!” Tobin and Alex hug like sisters. So glad to see each other. 

“The boats are all going.” She shouts over the crowd. 

“Yeah they were releasing them with hardly any people on.” Ali says as she rushes to Ashlyn giving a needed hug, before looking back at the group. Tobin nods. 

“This whole place is flooded, we have to get out of here.” Tobin says matter of factly. 

“There’s niente this way.” (Nothing) Alex gestures to where her and Ali have just come from. Alex looks at Kelley and soon pounces on her, to give her a hug. “I love you.” Alex whispers for Kelley to hear. Kelley pulls back to look into Alex’s eyes and then kisses her deeply. 

“Alright alright let’s survive now, then bang later yeah?” Ashlyn remarks causing a much needed laugh between all of them. Tobin looks around for a second, thinking. She decides to take a chance down the hallway they haven’t tried yet. 

“Let’s go this way alright!” She shouts over the crowd, the group nods. Alex, Kelley, Ashlyn and Ali run in front of Tobin and Christen. Tobin grabs tightly to Christen’s hand, giving a reassuring squeeze. 

“It’s going to be alright Chris.” All Christen could do was nod and pull Tobin into a kiss. They pull apart and a single tear leaves Christen’s eye. “Shushhh, it’s okay baby, were gonna get out of here.” Tobin kisses her one more time before following to catch up with the others, Christen firmly to her side.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thought I’ll be nice and give you a second update of the day :)

Cal and Servando are currently in his and Christen's suite. 

Cal opens his safe and reaches inside. As Servando watches, he pulls out two stacks of bills which are still banded by bank wrappers. Then he takes out "Heart of the Ocean", putting it in the pocket of his overcoat, and locks the safe. 

"I make my own luck." Cal says smugly holding the stack of bills. 

"So do I." Servando smirks back, showing his gun in the inside pocket of his coat. 

Cal grins, putting the money in his pocket as they go out. 

...

Tobin, Christen, Alex, Kelley, Ali and Ashlyn are lost, searching for a way out. They push past confused passengers. They past a mother changing her baby's diaper on top of an upturned steamer trunk, past a woman arguing heatedly with a man in Serbo-Croatian, a wailing child next to them, past a man kneeling to console a woman who is just sitting on the floor, sobbing and past another man with an English/Arabic dictionary, trying to figure out what the signs mean, while his wife and children wait patiently. 

Tobin come upon a narrow stairwell and they go up two decks before they are stopped by a small group pressed up against a steel gate. The steerage men with women at their sides are yelling at a scared steward.

"Go to the main stairwell and everything will be sorted out there." The stewards annoying voice says. Tobin let's go of Christen's hand and pushes through the group of people to get to the front of the gate. 

"Open the gate." She demands, now sick of the way the whole steerage section is being treated. 

"Go back down the main stairwell." 

"Open the gate right now!" Her voice is getting louder, annoyance evident in her voice because of the stewards stubbornness. 

"Go back down the main stairwell like I told you!" The steward repeats, that's the last straw for Tobin. Normally she's chill but this has gotten to her. She releases a angry, shaky breath. 

She turns her head ever so slightly to see Christen behind her, she lets out a huff too, seeing how slim their chances are. This cause Tobin to lose it, she wants Christen to have a chance. 

"God! Damn it! Son of a bitch!!" She shouts angrily through gritted teeth, shaking the close gate after every word. 

"Stop that!" The steward shouts, clearly scared of Tobin. Tobin turns around, away from the gate again, pushing through the crowd. She looks around for anything to get the gate down. Then she sees it, a bench. 

She grabs one end of a bench bolted to the floor on the landing. She starts pulling on it. 

"Ash! Kelley! Give me a hand!" She grunts every time she pulls, she feels it getting looser. Kelley and Ashlyn pitch in until the bolts start to move. Christen, Alex and Ali figures out what they are doing and clears a path up the stairs between the waiting people. 

"Move aside! Quickly, move aside!" Christen shouts, pushing people out the way, Alex and Ali doing the same. 

"Come on pull!" Tobin shouts. 

Tobin, Ashlyn and Kelley grunt as they feel the bench free with some of the floor ripping up with it due to the bolts. 

Tobin holds the bench at the end while Ashlyn and Kelley hold it either side, preparing to run. 

"Put that down... put it down!!" The steward shouts but it's useless. Tobin and the others were raging. The other women were able to clear the pathway. 

"One!..." Tobin begins to count down for them, slightly swinging the bench with it for momentum. "...Two!... Three!" They yell 'ahh' as they ram it into the gate with all their strength. 

It rips loose from its track but not fully so they go again. 

"Again!" Tobin shouts and they do it again. This time it works and the gate falls outward, narrowly missing the steward. Led by Tobin, the crowd surges through.

"Come on! Let's go Chris!" Tobin says, grabbing Christen and pulling her through the broken gateway. Alex and Ali rush to follow Tobin and Christen to the higher levels. 

"You can't go up there! You can't-" As Kelley makes her way through she punches the steward square in the face as she rushes pass. He spites out blood. "You can't do this!" Ashlyn punches him harder as she comes through and this time he collapses to the floor, knocked right out. 

Kelley stops to look at Ashlyn and smirks. 

"Nice goin', Lass." She says.

"Right back at ya." Ashlyn pants out grinning, they fist bump. "Come on let's get to the others." Kelley nods and they both run off. 

...

Panic is setting in around the remaining boats. The crowd here is now a mix of all three classes. Officers repeatedly warn men and women from third class to stay back from the boats. The crowd presses in closer. 

Seamen Scarlett brandishes the tiller of boat 14 to discourage a close press of people who look ready to rush the boat. Several groups break ranks and rush forward. 

Lightoller pulls out his revolver and aims it at them. 

"Get back I say! Or I'll shoot you all like dogs!" A dangerous look in his eyes. "Keep order here! Keep order I say!" The people fall back, scared. Satisfied Lightoller puts his gun down. 

Lightoller turns away from the crowd and, out of their sight, breaks his pistol open. Letting out a long breath, he starts to load it. 

"Mr Lowe, man this boat." He commands the seamen in front of him. Lowe could see what he was doing but all he could do is nod and gulp, moving to do his jobs and Lightoller loads his gun. 

...

On the other side of the ship, Cal and Servando arrive in time to see Murdoch lowering his last boat. 

"We're too late." Cal shakes his head. 

"There are still some boats forward. Stay with this one... Murdoch. He seems to be quite... practical." Servando advises Cal who nods. Suddenly there is screams, Cal turns to look overboard. 

In the water below, there is another panic. Boat 13, already in the water but still attached to its falls, is pushed by the discharge water being pumped out of the ship. It winds up directly under boat 15, which is coming down, right on top of it. 

The passengers shout in panic to the crew above to stop lowering. They are ignored. Some men put their hands up, trying futilely to keep the 5 tons of boat 15 from crushing them. 

Fred Barrett, the stoker, gets out his knife and leaps to the after falls, climbing rudely over people. He cuts the rope while another crewman cuts the forward lines. Boat 13 drifts out from beneath 15 just seconds before it touches the water with a slap. 

Then gunshots can be heard. 

... 

Back over on the other side of the ship, Fifth Officer Lowe, in Boat 14 is firing his gun as a warning to a bunch of third class people threatening to jump into the boat as it passes the open promenade on A-Deck. 

"Stay back you lot!" He shouts over the crowd. 

BLAM! BLAM! 

...

The shots echo away. 

"It's starting to fall apart. We don't have much time." Cal says, his determination setting in as he goes to find Murdoch. Servando following of course. 

Cal sees three dogs run by, including the black French bulldog. Someone has released the pets from the kennels. 

Cal sees Murdoch turn from the davits of boat 15 and start walking toward the bow. He catches up and falls in beside him. 

"Mr Murdoch?" The officer turns his head to see whose talking as he walks. 

"Mr Hockley... you two with me now!" He shouts to his seamen as he addresses Cal. 

"I'm a businessman, as you know, and I have a business proposition for you." Cal says to him as they walk, this causes Murdoch to look at him. 

...

Tobin, Christen and the other four burst out onto the boat deck from the crew stairs just behind of the third funnel. They look at the empty davits. 

"The boats are gone!" Christen pants out. 

"Did tell you that." Ali says with a sigh, holding tight to Ashlyn. 

Christen sees Colonel Gracie chugging forward along the deck, escorting two first class ladies. 

"Colonel Gracie! Are there any boats left on that side?" 

"No Miss but there are still a couple of boats all the way forward. This way, I'll lead you!" But they don't wait for him. 

Tobin grabs her hand and they sprint past Gracie, with Kelley and Alex close behind with Ashlyn and Ali.

The band incredibly they are still playing. Tobin, Christen and the others run by. 

"Music to drown by. Now I know I'm in First Class." Kelley remarks with a huff, Alex chuckles. 

... 

Water pours like a spillway over the forward railing on B-Deck, devouring the ships front. 

On Boat Deck Murdoch and his team are loading Collapsible Car the forward-most davits. 

The crowd is sparse, with most people still at the back of the ship. Cal slips his hand out of the pocket of his overcoat and into the waist pocket of Murdoch's greatcoat, leaving the stacks of bills there. 

“So we have an understanding then, Mr Murdoch?” Cal raises an eyebrow to him.

Murdoch looks down at the money in his waist then back at Cal, he doesn’t say anything and just walks off to do his job. 

... 

On port side, Lightoller is getting people into Boat 2. He keeps his pistol in his hand at this point, shooting ever so often for a warning. Twenty feet below them the sea is pouring into the doors and windows of B deck staterooms. They can hear the roar of water cascading into the ship. 

“First class Women and children, please. First class Women and children only. Step back, sir.” Lightoller pushes a man back. 

Tobin turns to Kelley and Alex. “You guys better check the other side.” They stare at each other.

“Guess I’ll see you around Lass?” Kelley gives Tobin a bro hug. “Let’s go Al.” 

Tobin and Alex stare at each other, tears filling Alex’s eyes. 

“I’ll see you soon kid.” Tobin smiles lightly, Alex chuckles before latching onto Tobin. 

“I love you Tobs.” She cries.

“I love you too. Now go! Go!” Tobin says, both Kelley and Alex nod, running down the deck. Tobin sighs, thinking they may not see each other again. 

“Ash, Ali. You go with them and try to find something.” They both nod, giving both Tobin and Christen a quick hug before running of to find something... anything! To survive. 

Tobin turns back to her front to watch what was happening with boat while putting her arms around Christen. 

...

Servando comes up to Cal whose watching the boat. 

“I've found her. She's just over on the port side. With her.” Cal’s face turns cold. 

“First class Women and children? Any more first class women and children?” Murdoch shouts but then turns to Cal. “Any one else, then?” He gives him a pointed look. 

Cal looks longingly at his boat... his moment has arrived but is conflicted. 

“God damn it lord hell!” He grunts with a shaky breath. 

He and Servando head for the port side, taking a short-cut through the bridge. Making their way to Christen and Tobin. 

Bruce Ismay, seeing his oppurtunity, steps quickly into Collapsible C. He stares straight ahead, not meeting Murdoch's eyes. 

“Take them down.” His stare never leaving Ismay... a coward. 

...

Even with Tobin’s arms wrapped around her, Christen is shivering in the cold. Near her a women with two you daughters looks into the eyes of a husband, she knows she may not see again 

“Goodbye for a little while... only for a little while.” The husband tearfully says to his crying children. “Go with mummy.”

The woman stumbles to the boat with the children, hiding her tears from them. Beneath the false good cheer, the man is choked with emotion. 

“Hold mummy's hand and be a good girl. That's right.”

Some of the first class women are stoic, others are overwhelmed by emotion and have to be helped into the boats. 

Christen turns in Tobin’s arms and looks into her eyes. “I'm not going without you.” Tobin shakes her head. 

“No, you have to go, now!” Tobin looks deeply into her lovers eyes. “Get in the boat, Christen.” 

“No Tobin...” Christen shakes her head as Tobin begins to push her backwards towards the boat. 

“Yes! Get on the boat.” Tobin’s voice a little high then expected, she just wants to make sure Christen lives. Tears fill Christen’s eyes. And just then Cal walks up. 

“Yes. Get in the boat, Christen.”

She is shocked to see him. She steps instinctively to Tobin. Cal looks at her, standing there shivering in her wet dress, stockings and a blanket, a shocking display in 1912. 

“My God, look at you. You look a fright.” Cal says, taking off his coat. He takes the blanket off Christen’s shoulders and pushes it into the chest of Tobin, who rolls her eyes. She drops the blanket to the floor. “Here, put this on.”

Christen numbly shrugs into it. He is doing it for modesty, not the cold. 

“Quickly, ladies. Step into the boat. Hurry, please!” Lightoller is heard calling. 

Tobin pulls Christen away from Cal to talk to her, holding her arms gently. “Go on. I'll get the next one.”

“No.” Christen grunts tearfully. “Not without you!”

“It’ll be alright.” Tobin reassures her. “I’ll be fine, I’m a survivor... don’t worry about me. Now go! Get on!” She urges. 

Christen doesn't even care that Cal is standing right there. He sees the emotion between Tobin and Christen and his jaw clenches. But then he leans close to her and says... 

“I have an arrangement with an officer on the other side of the ship.” Christen and Tobin look at him. “There are boats that are allowing men and third class in. Tobin and I can get off safely. Both of us.” Tobin looks at Cal, not convinced of her safety or his word but she needs to get Christen on this boat. 

“See. Got my own boat to catch.” She smiles slightly at Christen. “Now hurry.” Christen looks at Cal with no emotion to him. 

“Get in... hurry up, it's almost full.” Cal tries to smile but fails. 

“Step aboard Miss!” Lightoller grabs Christen’s arm and pulls her toward the boat. She reaches out for Tobin and her fingers brush with hers for a moment. Then she finds herself stepping down into the boat. It's all a rush and blur. Getting pulled away from Tobin so suddenly hurt her heart. 

“Anddd...Lower away!”

Tobin and Cal watch at the rail as the boat begins to descend. Tobin’s and Christen’s eyes staying locked. Christen had tears filling hers again. 

“You're a good liar.” Cal says lowly with slight smirk. Tobin sighs. 

“Almost as good as you.” Tobin says back, never taking her eyes away from Christen. “There’s no uh...there’s no arrangement is there?” She sighs out now taking a chance to look at him. 

“Oh there is...” Cal says with no emotion in his voice. “Not that you benefit much from it.” He now looks at her too. “I always win, Tobin. One way or another.” He smiles smugly at her before looking back down over the rail. Tobin gulps and sighs. 

Tobin knows she is screwed. She looks down at Christen, not wanting to waste a second of her last view of the beautiful woman. 

Everything feels slow motion for the two women. The ropes going through the pulleys as the seamen start to lower... all sound going away... Lightoller giving orders, his lips moving but Christen hears only the blood pounding in her ears and her breath heavy... this cannot be happening... a rocket bursts above in slow-motion, outlining Tobin in a halo of light like the angel she is... Christen’s hair blows as she gazes up at Tobin, descending away from her... she sees Tobin’s hand trembling, the tears at the corners in Tobin’s eyes, and cannot believe the unbearable pain she is feeling as she moves further away from Tobin. 

Christen is still staring up, tears pouring down her face. Christen has had enough, she needs Tobin. 

Christen starts moving.

She lunges across the women next to her. Reaches the gunwale, climbing it... 

“Christen!” Tobin shouts leaning over the railing a bit. 

Christen hurls herself out of the boat to the rail of the A-Deck promenade, catching it, and scrambling over the rail with the help of pasting people. The Boat 2 continues down. But Christen is back on Titanic. 

“Stop her!” Cal calls down.

“No Christen! NOOOO!! What are you doing?!” Tobin shouts echoing in the crisp air. 

Tobin spins from the rail, running for the nearest way down to A-Deck.

Hockley is in disbelief. Christen is willing to die for this women, this gutter scum. He is overwhelmed by a rage so all consuming it, eclipses all thought. 

Tobin bangs through the doors to the foyer and sprints down the stairs. She sees Christen coming into A-deck foyer, running toward her, Cal's long coat flying out behind Christen as she runs. 

They meet at the bottom of the stairs, and collide in an embrace, crying. 

“Christen. Christen, you're so stupid!” And all the while Tobin’s kissing her and holding her as tight as she can. “Why’d you do that, huh? You’re so stupid Christen.” Tobin’s voice breaks as tears go down both of their cheeks but keep on kissing in between sentences. “Why’d you do that?! Why?!” Tobin holds Christen’s head, shaking it slightly and looking deeply into her eyes.

“You jump, I jump, right?” Christen cries, smiling softly. Tobin can’t help but chuckle tearfully. 

“Right.” Tobin rasps out with a smile. They kiss one more time before hugging. Both feeling content and tears slowing. 

“Oh god, I couldn’t go Tobin, I couldn’t go.” Christen whispers into Tobin’s neck. 

Hockley comes in and runs to the railing. Looking down he sees them locked in their embrace. Servando comes up behind Cal and puts a restraining hand on him, but Cal whips around, grabbing the pistol from Servando’s waistband in one cobra-fast move. 

He runs along the rail and down the stairs. As he reaches the landing above them, he raises the gun. 

Tobin looks up in time to look behind Christen, her smile going straight to wide eyes. 

“Come on! Move!” Tobin pulls Christen towards the stairs going down to the next deck as Cal fires. The carved cherub at the foot of the center railing explodes. Christen yelps, realising what’s happening. 

Cal fires again, running down the steps toward them. A bullet blows a divet out of the oak panelling behind Tobin’s head as she pulls Christen down the next flight of stairs. Christen screams every time a bullet is fired. 

Hockley steps on the skittering head of the cherub statue and goes sprawling. The gun clatters across the marble floor. He gets up, and reeling drunkenly goes over to retrieve it. 

The bottom of the grand staircase is flooded several feet deep. Tobin and Christen come down the stairs two at a time and run straight into the water, fording across the room to where the floor slopes up, until they reach dry footing at the entrance to the dining saloon. 

Cal reels down the stairs in time to see Tobin and Christen splashing through the water toward the dining saloon. He fires twice. Big gouts of spray near them, but he's not a great shot. 

The water boils up around his feet and he retreast up the stairs a couple of steps. Around him the woodward groans and creaks. 

“I hope you enjoy your time together!!” He shouts through gritted teeth to them. 

Servando arrives next to him. Cal suddenly remembers something and starts to laugh. 

“What could possible be funny?”

“I put the diamond in the coat. And I put the coat on her!” He shouts. 

He turns to Servando with a sickly expression, his eyes glittering. 

“I give it to you... if you can get it.” 

He hands Servando the pistol and goes back up the stairs. Servando thinks about it... then slogs into the water. The icewater is up to his waist as he crosses the pool into the dining saloon but it doesn’t bother him. 

All he is determined to do is get his prize... ideally with one of them dead.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some sad chapters coming up :/

Servando moves among the tables and ornate columns, searching... listening... his eyes tracking rapidly. It is a sea of tables, and the two women could be anywhere. A silver serving tolley rolls downhill, bumping into tables and pillars. 

He glances behind him. The water is following him into the room, advancing in a hundred foot wide tide. The reception room is now a roiling lake, and the grand staircase is submerged past the first landing. Monstrous groans echo through the ship. 

Crouched behind a table was Tobin ana Christen, somewhere in the middle. They see the water advancing toward them, swirling over the floor. They crawl ahead of it to the next row of tables.

"Stay here." Tobin whispers to Christen. Tobin moves as Servando moves over one row and looks along the tables. Nothing. 

The ship groans and creaks. He moves another row. 

"I know your here... no use you prolonging this." He calls over the water and ship noise, he doesn't get a reply back. "It's only a matter of time..." 

A metal cart five feet tall and full of stacks of china dishes. It starts to roll down the aisle between tables. 

Christen watches as the cart rolls toward her. It hits a table and the stacks of dishes topple out, exploding across the floor and showering her. She scrambles out of the way and...

Servando spins, seeing her. He moves toward her, keeping the gun aimed. "I've been looking for you Miss..." He smugly grins at her, ready to fire, all Christen could do was squeeze her eyes shut. 

But that's when Tobin tackles him from behind. They slam together into a table, crashing over it, and toppling to the floor. They land in the water which is flowing rapidly between the tables. 

Tobin and Servando grapple in the icy water. Servando's head was bleeding as he gets up, pushing Tobin back down to the water, her tatty shirt and trousers instantly gripping to her body. 

"Tobin!" Christen yells. 

"You little shit..." He says in his cold, sinister voice. Tobin gets up panting and quickly lunges at him. 

The gun goes off making Christen yelp in surprise but Tobin is quick to jam her knee up on Servando's hand, breaking his grip on the pistol, and kicks it away. Servando scrambles to regain the upper hand and lunges at her, but Tobin gut punches him right in the solar plexus, doubling him over. 

"Compliments of the New Jersey Heaths." Tobin pants out. 

She grabs Servando and slams him into an ornate columb. Servando drops to the floor with a splash, stunned. 

"Let's go." Tobin guides Christen away.

They run back... uphill... entering the galley. Behind them the tables have become islands in a lake... and the far end of the room is flooded up to the ceiling. 

Servando gets up and looks around for his gun. He pulls it up out of the water and wades after them. 

They run throught the galley and Christen spots the stairs. She starts up and Tobin grabs her hand. 

"Alright come on!" Tobin leads her down them. 

They crouch together on the landing as Servando runs to the stairs. Assuming they have gone up (who wouldn't?) he clombs up them two at a time. 

They wait for the footstep to recede. A long creaking groan echos of the ship as they try to get their breath back. Then they hear it... a crying child. Below them. They go down a frew steps to looks along the next deck. E-deck.

The corridor is awash, about a foot deep. Standing against the wall, about 50 feet away, is a little boY, about 5. The water swirls around his legs and he is wailing, not knowing what to do with himself. 

Tobin looks at Christen. 

"We can't leave him." Christen says squeezing Tobin's arm. 

Tobin nods. "Alright come on!" 

They leave the promise of escape up the stairwell to run to the child. Tobin scoops up the kid and they run back to the stairs but... 

A torrent of water comes pouring down the stairs like rapids. In seconds it is too powerful for them to go against. 

"Come on!" Tobin takes the lead again holding the child close and Christen following. 

Charging the other way down the flooding corridor, they blast up spray with each footstep. At the end of the hall are heavy double doors. As Tobin approaches them she sees water spraying through the gap between the doors right up to the ceiling. The doors groan and start to crack under the tons of pressure. 

"Back! Go back!!" 

Christen pivots and runs back the way they came, taking a turn into a cross-corridor. A man is coming the other way. He sees the boy in Tobin's arms and cries out, grabbing him away from Tobin and pushing her back into the wall. Cursing continuously at her in Russian. He runs on with the boy...

"No! Not that way! Come back!" Christen shouts. 

"That's the wrong way!" Tobin shouts as they both go after them but Tobin stops them just in time. 

The double doors blast open. A wall of water thunders into the corridor. The father and child disappear instantly with a gargled cry and scream. 

"Run!!" Tobin screams, pushing Christen down the hall. 

Tobin and Christen run as a wave blasts around the corner, foaming from floor to ceiling. It gains on them like a locomotive. Lights flickering dangerously as the water hits them, it's starting to go dark. 

As they run, the water catches them and sweeps them off their feet. 

"Tobin!" 

"Christen!" 

They zoom past a staircase which is a few feet away from a steel gate which they slam into. The force of the water crushing them against, making it hard to move. 

"Come on this way!" Tobin shouts, they use all their strength against the water, using the wall as a leverage to pull on to get to that staircase. 

"You got it Chris! Give me your hand!" Tobin is the first to make it to the stairs, helping a struggling Christen as she comes up behind her. Christen makes it while gasping for air and spiting out water. 

They pound up the steps as white water swirls up behind them. But they are again stuck by a steel gate that blocks the top of the stairs. Tobin slams against the fate, gripping the bars and grunting. Christen does the same. 

"Oh god!" Christen gasps out, water becoming lethally high. 

Then suddenly, a terrified steward standing guard on the landing above turns to run at the sight of the water thundering up the stairs. 

"Wait! Wait! Help us! Unlock the gate please! Please!" Tobin shouts desperately.

The steward runs on. The water wells up around Tobin and Christen, pouring through the gate and slamming them against it. In seconds it is up to their waist. 

"Help us! Please!" 

The steward stops and looks back. He sees Tobin and Christen at the gate, their arms raching through... sees the water pouring through the gate onto the landing. He gives out a frustrated sigh. 

"Fucking 'ell!" He sighs to himself. 

He runs back, slogging against the currant. He pulls a key ring from his belt and struggles to unlock the padlock as the water fountains up around them. 

The lights short out and the landing is plunged into darkness. The water rises over the lock and he's doing it by feel. 

"Come on! Come on!" 

"Hurry!" Christen whimpers. 

Feeling the pressure and his hands soaking wet... the steward drops the keys, sinking straight to the floor. 

"I'm sorry... I've dropped me keys!" The man says in his welsh accent. He gives them one final look before taking of up the stairs. 

"Wait! No come back!" 

"Please!" Christen cries. "No please! Get some more help!" As Christen shouts after him, Tobin takes it upon herself to dive under the chest high water to blindly look for the keys. 

She puts her hand through the bottom of the gate to feel around. When she feels the metal chain which attaches them all together she pulls it through the gate and re surfaces, finding out that the water is now collarbone high. 

"I got them!" Tobin coughs out, showing Christen the keys. "Which one is it Christen?" Christen looks through them quickly.

"The short one... try the short one!" Tobin nods and quickly tries to find the lock on the other side of the gate by putting her hand through, baring in mind this is all under water now. 

"Hurry Tobin!" Christen says as the water gets higher. 

"Oh no! Oh no! Come on!!" Tobin is struggling to find the lock without looking at it. The water also slowing her down with the currant. 

Christen looks around the water is now up to their necks. "Tobin, come on!" Tobin tries twisting the key but it's stuck. 

"Arggg! It's stuck!" 

"Tobin!" Christen cries, spiting some water out at the same time. The water has raised them to the ceiling, only their heads showing now and not much room to breathe anymore. Tobin needs to open this gate... now! 

"Hurry Tobin!" Christen shouts out, spiting out water again. Tobin is doing all that she could. 

"Come on!" Tobin shouts. Then she feels the gate loosen. "I got it!" 

The gate gives and parts open, with in a nick of time too, they were nearly going under. They are pushing through by the force of the water. 

"Quick go! Move!" 

They make it to stairs on the other side of the landing, rushing up them to get to some sort of safety. 

...

Cal comes reeling out of the first class entrance, looking wild-eyed. Then lurches down the deck toward the bridge. Waltz music wafts over the ship, somehow the band is still playing. He gets stuck in a group of people but hears something, he looks down to his side. 

A little girl, maybe two years old, is crying along in the alcove. She looks up at Cal beseechingly. Cal moves on without a glance back... reaching a larger crowd clustered around a boat. A just right of the bridge. He sees Murdoch and a number of crewmen struggling to drag the boat to the davits, with no luck. 

Cal pushes forward, trying to signal Murdoch, but the officer ignores him. 

Nearby Kelley and Alex are being pushed forward by the crowd from behind, Kelley keeps Alex close to her. They have been separated from Ashlyn and Ali who went to check out the back of the ship. 

Purser McElroy pushes them back, getting a couple of seamen to help him. He brandishes his gun, waving it in the air, yelling for the crowd to stay back. 

Murdoch, at Collapsible A, is no longer in control. The crowd is threatening to rush the boat due to mass panic. They push and jostle, yelling and shouting at the officers. The pressure from behind pushes them forward, and one guy falls off the edge of the deck into the water less than ten feet below. 

"Will ya give us a chance to live, you limey bastard!" Kelley shouts at Murdoch, she keeps Alex behind her. 

Murdoch fires his Webley twice in the air, then point it at the crowd. 

"I'll shoot any man or women who tries to get past me." Murdoch shouts back, rage fills Kelley. 

"Bastard!" She shouts again, with a heavy sigh. She feels Alex hug her from behind, she rests her hand over Alex's to reassure her. 

Then Cal steps up to the side of them. 

"We had a deal, damn you." Cal steps forward in Murdoch's face. 

Murdoch has had enough and throws the money Cal gave him right into Cal's chest which makes him stumble back in shock, then he points the pistol at Cal. "That money can't save you anymore it'll save me... now get back!"

A man goes to jump up on a railing and with that an unstable Murdoch shoots him...dead. It causes people to scream and panic. 

A man behind Alex and Kelley falls which makes them fall forward and Kelley is the first person in front...

Murdoch shoots the first person, putting a bullet into Kelley's chest. Alex screams.

Kelley collapses, gasping for breath, and Alex grabs her, holding her in her arms as Kelley's life flows out over the deck.

"No Kelley!" Alex cries, she looks up at a shocked Murdoch. "Bastardo!" (Bastard). She looks back down to Kelley, whose looking at her weakly with blood coming out her mouth. 

"Ti amo...amore mio..." (I love you my love). Kelley whispers weakly, coughing on her blood. 

"Ti amo anch'io." (I love you too). Alex cries harder, kissing the top of the dying women's cold head. When she pulls back she sees Kelley is gone. "No!..." Alex whisper cries out, hugging Kelley's lifeless body close. 

Murdoch watches the scene in front of him, watching the poor girl crying over her love, watching that lovers blood flow down the tilted deck... he is mortified with his actions, he wanted it to end, all of it to just end. 

Murdoch turns to his men and salutes smartly. Then he puts the pistol to his temple... 

"No Will!" One of his crew shouts but it's too late. 

BANG! Murdoch drops like a puppet with the strings cut and topples over the edge of the boat deck into the water only a few feet below. 

Cal and the crowd stares in horror at Murdoch's body bobbing in the black water.

The crew rush to get the last few first class women and children aboard the boat. 

"Any more first class women and children?!" The crew shouts. Then Cal remembers. 

He rushes through the crowd with purpose. The girl. The child crying in the alcove. Cal scoops her up and runs forward, cradling her in his arms.

"Here's a child! I've got a child!" Cal pushes his way through the crowd. He looks to McElroy. "Please... I'm all she has in the world." McElroy looks at him for a second before signing.

McElroy nods curtly and pushes him into the boat. He spins with his gun, brandishing it in the air to keep the other people back. Cal gets into the boat, holding the little girl. He takes a seat with the first class women.

"There, there." He says to the child, smoothing down her hair as she cries. 

...

Megan Rapinoe stands in front of the fireplace, staring at the large painting above the mantle. The fire is still going in the fireplace. 

The room is empty except for Rapinoe. An ashtray falls off the table. Behind her Tobin and Christen run into the room, out of breath and soaked. They run through, toward the far revolving door... then Christen recognises her. She sees that her lifebelt is off, lying on a table. 

"Wait, wait!" She stops Tobin before turning to Megan, walking over slightly. "...Won't you even make a try for it, Miss Rapinoe?" Megan sighs, a tear threatens to drop from her eye. 

"I'm sorry that I didn't build you a stronger ship, young Christen." She sighs sadly to Christen, Christen looks at her in sympathy. 

"It's going fast... we have to move." Tobin says as she comes up behind Christen. 

"Wait..." Megan says, walking towards Christen. She picks up her lifebelt and hands it to Christen. Smiling the best she can. "Good luck to you, Christen." 

"And to you." Christen sighs knowing Megan has made up her mind, she takes the lifebelt and hugs Megan. 

Tobin pulls her away, Megan nods at Tobin while she gives her a sad smile. Christen and Tobin run through the revolving door, leaving Rapinoe with the fireplace. 

... 

The band finishes the waltz. Wallace Hartley looks at the orchestra members. 

"Right, that's it then." Hinting it time for them to part. They nod at their leader. 

They start to leave him, walking forward along the deck. Hartley puts his violin to his chin and bows the first notes of "Nearer My God to Thee". One by one the band memebers turn, hearing the lonely melody. 

Without a word they walk back and take their original places. They join in with Hartley, filling out the sound so that it reaches all over the ship on this still night. Many events happen as they play...

A seaman pulls off his lifebelt and catches up to Captain Andonovski as he walks to the bridge. He proffers it, but Andonovski seems to stare through him. Without a word he turns and goes onto the bridge. He enters the enclosed wheelhouse and closes the door. He is alone, surrounded by the gleaming brass instruments. He seems to inwardly collapse, ready to face his fate due to his failures as Captain...

In the first class smoke room, Rapinoe stands like a statue. She pulls out her pocket-watch and checks the time. Then she opens the face of the mantle clock and adjusts it to the correct time: 2:12 a.m. Everything must be correct...

In Cal's parlour suite, water swirls in from the private promenade deck. Christen's paintings are submerged. The Picasso tranforms under the water's surface. Degas' colors run. Monet's water lilies come to life...

An old couple lie side by side, fully clothed, on a bed in a first class cabin. Elderly Ida and Isador Strauss stare at the ceiling, holding hands like young lovers. Water pours into the room through a doorway. It swirls around the bed, two feet deep rising fast, but they don't care as long as they have each other...

In a steerage cabin, somewhere in the bowels of the ship, the young Irish mother who was stoically waiting at the stairs earlier, is tucking her two young children into bed. She pulls up the covers, making sure they are all warm and cozy. She lies down with them on the bed, speaking soothingly and holding them as they fall asleep, knowing they won't suffer too much...

A wave travel up the boat deck as the bridge house sinks into the water...

On port side, Collapsible B is picked up by water. Working frantically, the men try to detach it from the falls so the ship won't drag it under. Colonel Gracie hands Lightoller a pocket knife and he saws furiously at the ropes as the water swirls around his legs. The boat, still upside down, is swept off the ship. Men and women start diving in, swimming to stay with it...

In collapsible A, Cal sits next to the wailing child, whom he has completely forgotten, luckily a women was consolidating her. He watches the water rising around the seamen as they work, scrambling to get the ropes cut so the ship won't drag the collapsible under...

Alex removes the lifebelt from Kelley's body and struggles to put it on as the water rises around them. Once she has it on, she gives Kelley on last kiss on the head and whispers into her ear 'they will see each other again.' The water picks up Kelley's body. Alex give her a little push so she goes out to sea and not dragged under right away. Alex stands up with no emotion on her face and watches her lover disappear into the sea...

Captain Andonovski, standing near the wheel, watches the black water climbing the windows of the enclosed wheelhouse. He has the stricken expression of a damned soul on Judgment Day. The windows burst suddenly and a wall of water edged with shards of glass slams into Andonovski. He disappears in a vortex of foam...

Collapsible A is hit by a wave as the bow plunges suddenly. It partially swamps the boat, washing it along the deck. Over a hundred passengers are plunged into the freezing water and the area around the boat becomes a frenzy of splashing, screaming people...

As men and women are trying to climb into the callapsible, Cal grabs an oar and pushes them back into the water. "Get back! You'll swamp us!" He shouts as loud as he could...

Alex, swimming for her life, gets swirled under a davit. The ropes and pulleys tangle around her as the davit goes under the water, and she is dragged down. Underwater she struggles to free herself, and then kicks back to the surface. She surfaces, gasping for air in the freezing water...

Hartley sees the water rolling rapidly up the deck toward them. He holds the last note of the hymn in a sustain, and then lowers his violin. 

"Gentlemen, it has been a previlege playing with you tonight." He says to his band, knowing that was their last song. 

Suddenly the ship was sinking faster, people start to run up to high ground to the back of the ship, thinking it was going to be safe but they know deep down this effort will come to nothing.


	20. Chapter 20

Tobin and Christen run out of the palm court into a dense crowd. Tobin pushes her way to the rail and looks at the state of the ship. The bridge is under water and there is chaos on deck. Tobin helps Christen put her lifebelt on. People stream around them, shouting and pushing. 

"We have to stay on the ship as long as possible. Come on!" Tobin says to a frighten Christen. 

They push their way aft through the panicking crowd. 

By the forward funnel, Collapsible A is whirled like a leaf in the currents around the sinking ship. It slams against the side of the forward funnel. 

"Row! Row you bastards!!" Cal shouts to the crew.

Nearby, Alex is drawn up against the grating of a stokehole vent as water pours through it. The force of tons of water roaring down the ship traps her against it, and she is dragged down under the surface as the ship sinks. She struggles to free herself but cannot. 

Suddenly there is a concussion deep in the bowels of the ship as a furnace explodes and a blast of hot air belches out of the ventilator, ejecting Alex. She surfaces and coughs up water in a roar of foam, she keeps swimming but her efforts are meaningless. 

The stay cables along the top of the funnel snap, and they lash like steel whips down into the water. 

Cal watches as the funnel topples from its mounts. Falling like a temple pillar twenty eight feet across it whomps into the water with a tremendous splash. 

People swimming underneath it disappear in an instant, including Alex. 

In her final moments, she turned to see what the noise was as she swam. That's when she saw it... the enormous funnel falling. She lets out a bloody scream as the funnel came upon her... killing her instantly. 

The funnel sinks and with it hundreds of tons of water pour down through the 30 foot hole where the funnel stood, thundering down into the belly of the ship. A whirlpool forms, a hole in the ocean, like at enormous toiler-flush. T. W. McCauley, the gym instructor swims in a frenzy as the vortex draws him in. He is sucked down like a spider going down a drain. 

...

Tobin and Christen clamber over the A-Deck aft rail. Then, using all her strength, Tobin lowers Christen toward the deck below, holding on with one hand. She dangles, then falls. Tobin jumps down behind her. 

They join a crush of people literally clawing and scrambling over each other to get down the narrow stairs to the well deck... the only way aft. 

Seeing that the stairs are impossible, Tobin climbs over the B-Deck railing and helps Christen over. Tobin lowers her again, and Christen falls in a heap on the floor with a grunt. Luckily there was Ashlyn, in the right place at the right time next to Christen with Ali. 

"Oh my god Christen!" Ashlyn hauls Christen to her feet as Tobin drops down. 

"We need to keep moving!" Ali shouts. They all nod and the four of them push through the crowd across the well deck. Near them, at the rail, people are jumping into the water. 

The ship groans and shudders. The man ahead of Tobin is walking like a zombie. 

"Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death--" He talks to himself. Tobin pushes him in frustration. 

"You wanna walk a little faster through that valley there?!" Tobin forces her way through, keeping Christen close. 

...

In the boat deck foyer which holds the grand staircase, water raors through the doors and windows, cascading down the stairs like a rapids. John Jacob Astor is swept down the marble steps to A-Deck, which is already flooded... a roiling vortex. He grabs the headless cherub at the bottom of the staircase and wraps his arms around it. 

Astor looks up in time to see the 30 foot glass dome overhead explodes inward with the wave of water washing over it. A Niagara of sea water thunders down into the room, blasting through the first class opulence, submerging everything and everyone instantly. It is the Armageddon of elegance. 

...

Belowdecks, the flooding is horrific. Walls and doors are splintered like kindling. Water roars down corridors with pile-driver force. 

The Pugh family is at the top of a stairwell, jammed against a locked gate like Tobin and Christen were. Water boils up the stairwell behind them. The father shakes the gate futilely, shouting for help. Little Mal wails as the water boils up around them all, consuming them. 

...

Christen and Tobin struggle to climb the well deck stairs as the ship tilts. A drunk man beside the two puts a hand squarely on Christen's butt and shoves her up onto the deck. She gasps. 

"S-sorry, miss!" He slurs out, chuckling slightly. 

"Oi!" Tobin shouts, pushing him back a few steps, making sure to protect Christen. 

Hundreds of people are already on the poop deck, and more are pouring up every second. Tobin and Christen cling together as they struggle across the tilting deck. They have been separated from Ashlyn and Ali again, they are probably doing the same as Tobin and Christen. 

As the bow goes down, the stern rises. In boat 2, which is just off the stern, passengers gape as the giant bronze propellers rise out of the water like gods of the deep underworld. 

People are jumping from the well deck, the poop deck and the gangway doors. Some hit debris in the water and are hurt or killed instantly upon impact. Landing on that water from this high is like falling hard onto concrete. 

On the poop deck, Tobin and Christen struggle aft as the angle increases. Hundreds of passengers, clinging to every fixed object on deck, huddle on their knees around Father Byles, who has his voice raised in prayer. They are praying, sobbing, or just staring at nothing, their minds blank with dread. 

Pulling herself from handhold to handhold, Tobin tugs Christen aft along the deck. 

"Come on, Christen. We can't expect God to do all the work for us." Tobin says as calmly as she can. 

They struggle on, pushing through the praying people. A man loses his footing ahead and slides toward them. Tobin helps him. 

The propellers are twenty feet above the water and rising faster. 

Tobin and Christen make it to the stern rail, right at the base of the flagpole. They grip the rai, jammed in between other people. It is the spot where Tobin pulled Christen back onto the ship, just two nights... and a liftime... ago. 

Above the wailing and sobbing, Father Byles' voice carries, cracking with emotion. 

"...and I saw new heavens and a new earth. The former heavens and the former earth had passed away and the sea was no longer." 

The lights flicker, threatening to go out. Christen grips Tobin as the stern rises into a night sky ablaze with stars. 

"I also saw a new Jerusalem, the holy city coming down out of heaven from God, beautiful as a bride prepared to meet her husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne ring out this is God's dwelling among men. He shall dwell with them and they shall be his people and He shall be their God who is always with them..."

Christen stares about her at the faces of the doomed. Near them are the Ashlyn and Ali who have somehow found them, clinging together stoically like Tobin and Christen. Ali looks at her briefly, and her eyes are infinitely sad, tears filling them. Ashlyn whispers soft words into her ear. 

Then they both look to see a young mother next to them, clutching her five year old son, who is crying in terror. 

"Shhh. Don't cry. It'll be over soon, darling. It'll all be over soon." The mother kisses her sons head will holding onto him and the rail. 

Christen and Ali give each other a knowing look that this won't end well. Puffs of air coming out of their panting mouths and both shivering. 

"...He shall wipe every tear from their eyes. And there shall be no more death or mourning, crying out or pain, for the former world has passed away." Father Byles finishes his prayer as screams and cries for help fills the air. 

Christen turns her head to look up at Tobin whose watching the scenes below. 

"Tobin..." She rasps out. Tobin looks down to the girl hanging onto her. "This is where... we first met." Christen smiles with a stutter due to the cold. 

Tobin looks into her eyes and smiles. She kisses her head and pulls her closer, Christen's head going into Tobin's shivering neck. 

... 

As the ship tilts further everything not bolted down inside shifts. 

Cupboards burst open in the pantry showering the floor with tons of china. A piano slides across the floor, crashing into a wall. furniture tumbles across the Smoking Room floor. 

On the A-deck promenade, passengers lose their grip and slide down the wooden deck like a bobsled run, hundreds of feet before they hit the water. Rose Lavelle, Christen's maid, slips as she struggles along the railing and slides away screaming down to the water. Tobin, seeing Rose fall, pulls Christen to make sure she's not watching the ghastly scene of her maids death. 

At the stern, the propellers are 100 feet out of the water and rising. Panicking people leap from the poop deck rail, fall screaming and hit the water like mortar rounds. A man falls from the poop deck, hitting the bronze hub of the starboard propeller with a sickening smack. 

Swimmers look up and see the stern towering over them like a monolith, the propellers rising against the stars. 110 feet. 120. 

At the stern railing, a man jumps. It's like the fall seemingly last forever, he falls right past one of the giant screws.

...

Stacy watches as the sounds of the dying ship and the screaming people come across the water. 

The spectacle of the Titanic, her lights blazing, reflecting in the still water. Its stern is high in the air, angles up over forty five degrees. The propellers are 150 feet out of the water. Over a thousand passengers cling to the decks, looking from a distance like a swarm of bees. 

The image is shocking, unbelieveable, unthinkable. Stacy stares at the spectacle, unable to frame it or put it into any proportion. 

"God Almighty." Molly breaths out next to her. 

The great liner's lights flicker. 

...

In the engine room, which is in darkness Chief Engineer Bell hangs onto a pipe at the master braker panel. Around him, men climb through tilted cyclopean mahcines with electric hand-torches. It is a black hell of breaking pipes, spraying water, and groaning machinery threatening to tear right out of its bedplates. 

Water sprays down, hitting the breaker panel, but Bell will not leave his post. CLUNK. The breakers kick. He slams them in again and-- WHOOM! a blast of light! Something melts and arcing fills the engine room with nightmarish light...

...

The lights go out all over the ship. Titanic becomes a vast black silhouette against the stars. 

In collapsible C, Bruce Ismay has his back to the ship, unable to watch the great steamer die. He is catatonic with remorse, his mind overloaded. He can avert his eyes, but he can't block out the sounds of dying people and machinery. 

A loud cracking report comes across the water. 

Near the third funnel a man clutches the ship's rail. He stares down as the deck splits right between his feet. A yawning chasm opens with a thunder of breaking steel. 

A battered and bleeding Servando is clutching the railing on the roof of the Officers' Mess. He watches in horror as the ship's structure rips apart right in front of him. He gapes down into a widening maw, seeing straight down into the bowels of the ship, amid a booming concussion like the sound of artillery. People falling into the widening crevasse look like dolls. 

The stay cables on the funnel part and snap across the decks like whips, ripping off davits and ventilators. A man is hit by a whipping cable and snatched away. Another cable smashes the rail next to Servando and it rips free. He falls backward into the pit of jagged metal to his fate. 

Fires, explosions and sparks light the yawning chasm as the hull splits down through nine decks to the keel. The sea pours into the gaping wound...

The stern of the ship, almost four hundred feet long, falls back toward the water. On the poop deck everyone screams as they feel themselves plummeting. The sound goes up like the roar of fans at a baseball stadium when a run is scored. 

Unfortunately, Ashlyn's hand slips from the shudder and her and Ali plum it down to the water, screaming and holding tight to each other and ready for impact. 

"No!" Tobin shouts watching them fall, making sure to hold on tighter to Christen from behind for her sake.

"Oh god..." Christen cries, turning away from watching Ashlyn and Ali fall to their deaths. She holds onto the rail with a death grip, her knuckles turning white. 

Swimming in the water directly under the stern a few unfortunates shriek as they see the keel coming down on them like God's bootheel. The massive stern section falls back almost level, thundering down into the sea and pushing out a mighty wave of displaced water. 

Tobin and Christen struggle to hold onto the stern rail. They feel the ship seemingly right itself. Some of those praying think it is salvation. 

"We're saved!" Someone shouts. 

Tobin looks at Christen and shakes her head, grimly. 

Now the horrible mechanics play out. Pulled down by the awesome weight of the flooded bow, the buoyant stern tilts up rapidly. They feel the rush of ascent as the fantail angles up again. Everyone is clinging to benches, railings, ventilators... anything to keep from sliding as the stern lifts. 

The stern goes up and up, past 45 degrees, then past sixty. 

People start to fall, sliding and tumbling. They skid down the deck, screaming and flailing to grab onto something. They wrench other people loose and pull them down as well. There is a pile-up of bodies at the forward rail.

"We have to move!" Tobin shouts over the noise. 

She climbs over the stern rail and reaches back for Christen. She is terrified to move. Tobin grabs her hand. 

"Come on! I've got you! Give me your hand!" Tobin pulls her over the rail. "I won't let go!" 

It is the same place he pulled her over the rail two nights earlier, going the other direction. She gets over just as the railing is going horizontal, and the deck vertical. Tobin grips Christen fiercely. 

The stern is now straight up in the air... a rumbling black monolith standing against the stars. It hangs there like that for a long grace note, its buoyancy stable. 

Christen lies on the railing, looking down fifteen stories to the boiling sea at the base of the stern section. People near them, who didn't climb over, hang from the railing, their legs dangling over the long drop. They fall one by one, plummeting down the vertical face of the poop deck. Some of them bounce horribly off deck benches and ventilators. 

Tobin and Christen lie side by side on what was the vertical face of the hull, gripping the railing, which is now horizontal. Just beneath their feet are the gold letters TITANIC emblazoned across the stern. 

Christen stares down terrified at the black ocean waiting below to claim them. Tobin looks to her left and sees a man, crouching on the hull, holding onto the railing. It is a surreal moment. 

"Helluva night." He nods to her, with an attempted chuckle. Tobin gives a small, sad smile. 

The final relentless plunge begins as the stern section floods. 

"This is it! This is it!" Tobin shouts. 

Looking down a hundred feet to the water, the ship drop like an elevator. 

"The ship will suck us down. Take a deep breath when I say. Kick for the surface and keep kicking." Tobin instructs quickly and grabbing onto Christen's hand. "Don't let go of my hand. We're gonna make it Chris. Trust me." Christen nods. She stares at the water coming up at them, and grips Tobin's hand harder. 

"I trust you!" 

Below them the poop deck is disappearing. The plunge gathers speed... the boiling surface engulfs the docking bridge and then rushes up the last thirty feet. 

The stern descends into the boiling sea. The name TITANIC disappears. 

"Ready?!" Tobin shouts. "Now!" They both take a big breath as the last of the ship disappears under the surface, taking them with it. 

Where the ship stood, now there is nothing. Only the black ocean. Silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter I have posted today :) only a couple of more chapters left of this story :)


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thought I’ll post another chapter today since the next chapter will be the last one :( thank you for reading this story though! :) Last Chapter will be posted tomorrow. Enjoy this one, warning this is sad :(

Bodies are whirled and spun, some limp as dolls, others struggling spasmodically, as the vortex sucks them down and tumbles them. 

Under the water, Tobin and Christen try their best to hold onto each other, grabbing tightly and kicking. Tobin tries to grab onto Christen's lifebelt to stay together but the vortex gets the better of them. It forces Tobin to let go sucking her down with the ship. 

Christen blindly searches for Tobin with her hand but can't find her anywhere. 

The vortex eases slightly and Christen is able to get to the surface and get so much needed air. But without Tobin. 

"Tobin!" Christen gasps as she breaks the freezing surface. 

At the surface, a roiling chaos of screaming, thrashing people. Over a thousand people are now floating where the ship went down. Some are stunned, gasping for breath. Others are crying, praying, moaning, shouting... screaming. It's like a mad rush. People grabbing onto anything the could.

"Tobin! Tobin!" Christen shouts, looking around the thrashing water, puffs of air coming out of her mouth. 

People driven insane by the water, 4 degrees below freezing, a cold so intense it is indistinguishable form death by fire. 

"Tobin! To-..."A man pushes Christen under, trying to climb on top of her... senselessly trying to get out of the water, to climb onto anything. "No!" She's struggling against his weight, already feeling weak due to the cold. She couldn't breathe. "Tobin!" 

"Christen! Get off of her! Get off of her!" She shouts at the panicking man but he refuses, making Tobin angry and not regretting her next move. 

Tobin punches him repeatedly, pulling Christen free. The man is knocked out in the water. 

"I need you to swim, Christen! I need you to swim!" Tobin shouts, pulling Christen with her. 

She tries, but her strokes are not as effective as Tobin's because of her lifejacket. They break out of the clot of people. Christen has to find some kind of flotation, anything to get her out of the freezing water. 

"Keep swimming. Keep moving. Come on, you can do it Chris!" 

"It's so c-cold..." Christen gargles out in a stutter. 

All about them there is a tremendous wailing, screaming and moaning... a chorus of tormented souls. And beyond that... nothing but black water stretching to the horizon. The sense of isolation and hopelessness is overwhelming. 

"Come on swim..." Tobin spots a piece of giant wood... it's a door. "Let's get on this... come on!" They make for it together. "Get on it Chris..." Tobin pushes her up and she slithers onto it belly down, their bodies aching. 

But when Tobin tries to get up onto the thing, it tilts and submerges, almost dumping Christen off. It is clearly only big enough to support Christen. Tobin clings to it, close to her, keeping her upper body out of the water as best she can. 

Their breath floats around them in a cloud as they pant from exertion. 

Christen looks over Tobin's shoulder to see a man swimming toward them, hoping in on the piece of debris. Tobin turns around and warns him back. 

"It's just enough for this lady... you'll push it under." 

"Let me try at least, or I'll die soon." He stutters out.

"You'll die quicker if you come any closer." Tobin says, eyes dark. All the man could do is nod.

"Yes, I see. Good luck to you then." He swims off, trying to find his sanctuary. "God bless." Tobin nods at him and turns back to Christen, whose shaking and shivering. 

Tobin rubs Christen's arms, trying to give her some sort of heat. They rest their heads together momentarily, breath mixing. 

"It'll be alright now Chris..." Tobin pants out, grabbing Christen's hand, tight. 

Tobin sees the ship's officer nearby, Chief Officer Wilde. He is blowing his whistle furiously, knowing the sound will carry over the water for miles. 

"T-The boats will come back for us, Chris." Tobin reassures her. "Hold on j-jus-st a little longer. They had to row away-y-y from the s-suction and now they'll be coming back-k." Tobin stutters out, looking into Christen's eyes. She nods, Tobin's words helping her. She is shivering uncontrollably, her lips blue and her teeth chattering. 

People are still screaming, calling to the lifeboats. 

"Come back! Please! We know you can hear us. For God's sake!" A women cries. 

"Please... help us. Save one life! SAVE ONE LIFE!" A man shouts with water coming out his mouth. 

...

In boat 6, Stacy has her ears covered against the wailing in the darkness. The first class women in the boat sit, stunned, listening to the sounds of hundreds screaming. 

"You don't understand..." Hitchins says, stubbornly. "They'll pull us right down I tell ya! They'll swamp the boat!" 

"Aw knock it off, yer scarin' me." Molly gets up, pointing him a look. "Come on girls, grab your oars. Let's go." 

"Are you outta your mind?! We are in the middle of the North Atlantic!" He begins to shout, he's in command of this ship. "Now do you people want to live or do you want to die?!" It goes silent for a moment. Molly looks around stunned that no one wants to move. 

"I don't understand a one of you. What's the matter with you? It's your men back there! We got plenty a' room for more."

The women won't meet her eyes, they huddle into their ermine wraps, crying. 

"And there'll be one less on this boat...If you don't shut that hole in yer face!" Hitchins shouts spitefully. 

Molly is in disbelief, she just slowly sits back into her seating knowing she wasn't going to get anywhere. Stacy keeps her ears covered and her eyes closed, shutting it all out. 

In boat one, Sir Zachary Ertz and Lady Julie Ertz sit with ten other people in a boat that is two thirds empty. They are two hundred yards from the screaming in the darkness.

"We should do something." One of the crewmen says. 

Julie squeezes Zachary's hand and pleads him with her eyes. She is terrified. 

"It's out of the question." He mumbles towards the crewmen and Julie, who lets out silent tears.

The crewmembers, intimidated by a nobleman, acquiesce. They hunch guiltily, hoping the sound will stop soon. 

Twenty boats, most half full, float in the darkness. None of them make a move to help the helpless. 

Apart from one crewman who wants to make a difference. 

Fifth Officer Lowe, the impetuous young Welshman, has gotten Boats 10, 12 and Collapsible D together with his own Boat 14. A demon of energy, he's had everyone hold the boats together and is transferring passengers from 14 into the others, to empty his boat for a rescue attempt. 

As the women step gingerly across the other boats, Lowe sees a shawled figure in too much of a hurry. He rips the shawl off, and finds himself staring into the face of a man. He angrily shoves the stowaway into another boat and turns to his crew of three. 

"Right! Listen to me men! We have to go back!" The crewmen go as fast as they can to clear a boat to start a rescue led by Lowe. 

...

Tobin and Christen drift under the blazing stars. The water is glassy, with only the faintest undulating swell. Christen can actually see the stars reflecting on the black mirror of the sea. 

Tobin's face is chalk within the darkness, her stuttering shakes and shivering makes Christen concerned. 

A low moaning in the darkness around them. The whistle has stopped from the officer.

"It's getting-g quiet." Christen whimpers out, Tobin turns her aching head to look at her. 

"I-it's just gonna t-t-take a couple o-of m-minutes-s. It'll take t-them a while to get the boats-s-s organized..." Tobin rasps out, her stuttering getting worse. 

Christen is unmoving, just staring into space at Tobin's pale face and blue lips. Christen knows the truth. There won't be any boats. Behind Tobin, she sees that Officer Wilde has stopped moving. He is slumped in his lifejacket, looking almost asleep. He has died of exposure already and his body is fixed in position to the debris he held onto. 

"I don't know-w about y-you, but I intend t-t-to write a s-strongly worded letter to the White S-Star Line about all this-s." Tobin tries to joke with a wheezy chuckle. Christen smiles ever so slightly. There's her Tobin, trying to make light of a impossible situation. 

Christen finds Tobin's eyes in the dim light. 

"I love you Tobin." She rasps out. Tobin squeezes her hand and shakes her head stiffly. 

"N-no, don't you do that...don't say your good-byes, Chris. Not yet. Do you understand me?" Tobin gives her a pointed look. 

"Y-y-yes." Christen nods. "I'm so cold." 

"Listen to me Christen... You're gonna get outta here... you're going to go on and you're going-g to make lots of babies-s-s and watch them grow-w and you're going to die an old... old lady, warm in her bed. Not here. Not this night. Not like this. Do you understand me?" Christen tears up with Tobin's words, making her fall for her even more than she already has. 

"I can't feel my body." Christen whispers, her voice not being allowed to be any higher than that. 

"W-Winning that ticket, Christen, was the best thing that e-ever happened to me." Tobin is having trouble getting the breath to speak but she continues for Christen, smiling a little. "It brought me to you. And I'm thankful that, Chris. I'm thankful." They both give a tearful chuckle. 

Tobin's voice is trembling with the cold which is working its way to her heart but her eyes are unwavering. 

"Y-Yo-u-u... you must do me this honour..." Tobin is finding it very hard to get her words out now, never-less she continues and brings their conjoined hand in front of their faces, squeezing tight. "... promise me you will s-survive... that y- you won't give up... no matter what happens-s... no matter-r how hopeless..." Tobin's beginning to grunt, feeling pain down her chest and lungs. "...promise me now Chris, and never let go-o of that promise."

"I promise." Christen shakes out, tearfully. 

"Never let go." Tobin says, looking over the top of their hands and up into Christen's eyes. 

"I will never let go, Tobs." Christen stutters. "I'll never let go." Tobin smiles softly, kissing the back of Christen's freezing hand which is in hers. 

They lie with their heads together, shaking and breathing heavy. It is quiet now, nothing except for the lapping of the water. 

...

The beam of an electric torch plays across the water like a searchlight as boat 14 comes towards the group of silent people. 

The torch illuminates floating debris, a poignant trail of flotsam: a violin, a child's wooden soldier, a framed photo of a steerage family. A wooden Biograph camera. 

"Do you see any moving?" Lowe asks his crew as he holds the torch. 

"No sir... none moving sir." One of the men on the oars says. 

"Check them!" Lowe commands, he wants to find at least someone alive. 

Lowe and his crew watches and they get nearer to the people, their white lifebelts bobbing in the darkness like signoposts, the first bodies come into the torch's beam. The people are dead but not drowned, killed by the freezing water. Some look like they could be sleeping. Others stare with frozen eyes at the stars. 

"These are dead sir." A seamen says as he moves a dead women out the way, showing her frozen eyes. 

"Okay... give way and give ease, careful not to hit them with the oars..." Lowe commands in a soft voice. 

As they move, the deadman stays over the side moving the dead so they can get through, slowly. 

"Is there anyone alive out there?!" Lowe shouts desperately. "Can anyone hear me?!" But his voice just echos with no response. Lowe sees a mother floating with her arms frozen around her lifeless baby. This marks Lowe's worst moment of his life as he looks at them tearfully. "We waited too long." 

He shakes his head and goes back to commanding. "Well... keep checking them! Keep looking!" 

...

Tobin and Christen are still floating in the black water. The stars reflect in the mill pond surface, and the two of them seem to be floating in interstellar space. They are absolutely still. Their hands are locked together. Christen is staring upwards at the canopy of stars wheeling above her, as the long to sleep steals over Christen, and she feels peace. 

Christen' s face. Pale, like the faces of the dead. She seems to be floating in a void. She is in a semi-hallucinatory state. She knows she is dying. Her lips barely move as she sings a scrap of Tobin's song...

"Come Josephine in my flying machine..." 

The stars. Like you've never seen them. The Milky Way a glorious band from horizon to horizon. This is all Christen could see. 

A shooting star flares... a line of light across the heavens. 

"Up she goes...up she goes..."

Christen's hair is dusted with frost crystals. Her breathing is so shallow, she is almost motionless. Her eyes track down from the stars to the water. 

That's when she sees it. 

The silhouetter of a boat crossing the stars. She sees men in it, rowing so slowly the oars lift out of the syrupy water, leaving weightless pearls floating in the air. The voices of the men sound slow and disoriented. 

Then the lookout flashes his torch toward her and the light flares across the water, silouetting the bobbing corpses in between. It flicks past her motionless form and moves on. The boat is 50 feet away, and moving past her. The men look away. 

Christen lifts her head to turn to Tobin. Tobin’s eyes are closed softly. Christen's hair has frozen to the wood under her. 

"Tobin..." The raspy whisper is barely audible. She then shakes their hands when not getting a response. "Tobin! Tobs... there's a boat! There's a boat Tobin!" Her voice is scratchy and high pitched. 

She touches Tobin's shoulder with her free hand, it feels solid. She still doesn't respond. Christen gently turns Tobin's face toward her. It is rimed with frost, around the nose, lips, eyes... everywhere. 

She seems to be sleeping peacefully. 

But she is not asleep. 

Christen can only stare at her still face as the realization goes through her. 

"Tobin!" Her voice screeches in a tearful whisper shout. "There's a... boat... oh Tobs..." She cries. 

All hope, will and spirit leave her. She looks at the boat. It is further away now, the voices fainter. Christen watches them go. 

She closes her eyes. She is so weak, and there just seems to be no reason to even try. Her forehead resting on their hands. 

And then... her eyes snap open. Tobin wanted her to live. 

She raises her head suddenly, cracking the ice as she rips her hair off the wood. She calls out, but her voice is so weak they don't hear her. 

"Come back!... Come back!" Her voice is rasping so much that it hurts. 

The boat is invisible now, the torch light a star impossibly far away. She struggles to draw breath, calling again a couple of times. 

In the boat, Lowe hears nothing behind him. He points to something ahead, turning the tiller. 

"Hello?! Can anyone hear me?!"

Christen struggles to move. Her hand, she realizes, is actually frozen to Tobin's. She pulls on it and gently unclasps their hands, breaking away a thin tinkling film. With that Tobin's frozen body bobs in the water like a buoy. Her head starts to go under, sinking. 

"I'll never let go. I promise." She says tearfully, kissing Tobin's frozen hand. 

She releases Tobin and she sinks into the black water. She seems to fade out like a spirit returning to some immaterial planet. 

Christen watches until Tobin is completely gone but her love will always remain with her. Christen lets out a throaty cry before moving. Doing what Tobin would've wanted. Her to live. 

She rolls off the floating door and plunges into the icy water. She cries out due to her aching body and piercing cold. She swims the best she could to Chief Officer Wilde's body and grabs his whistle. She starts to blow the whistle with all the strength in her body. Its sound slaps across the still water. 

Lowe whips around at the sound of the whistle. 

"Come about!" He shouts, then telling his me to go back. 

Christen keeps blowing as the boat comes to her. She is still blowing when Lowe takes the whistle from her mouth as they haul her into the boat. She slips into uncosciousness and they scramble to cover her with blankets... 

...

Christen's ancient, wrinkled face opens her eyes in present day, a little tearful. But she continues her story. 

"Fifteen hundred people went into the sea when Titanic sank from under us. There were twenty boats floating nearby and only one came back. One." She looks at Emily, she has tears falling down her face. She looks at the men, sad and disbelieved faces on them. "Six were saved from the water, myself included. Six out of fifteen hundred." 

As she speaks, Lovett, Bodine, Buell, the others... the reality of what happened here 84 years before has hit them like never before. With her story, Christen has put them on Titanic in its final hours, and for the first time, they do feel like graverobbers. 

Lovett, for the first time, has even forgotten to ask about the diamond. 

"Afterward, the seven hundred people in the boats had nothing to do but wait... wait to die, wait to live, wait for an absolution which would never come."

...

The faces of the saved looked as lifeless as the frozen dead as they sat on the lifeboats. 

Boat after boat, faces that are know are among the survivors... 

Ismay in a trance, just staring and trembling... Cal, sipping from a hip flask offered to him by a black-faced stoker... Stacy hugging into Molly, rocking gently. 

In boat 14, Christen is lying swaddled. Only her face is visile, white as the moon with her green eyes dull. The man next to her jumps up, pointing and yelling. Soon everyone is looking and shouting excitedly. But to Christen, everyone seems silent, their lips just moving and in slow motion. 

In this slow motion phase, Lowe lights a green flare and waves it as everyone shouts and cheers. Christen doesn't react. She floats beyond all human emotion. 

Dawn approaches. 

Golden light washes across the white boats, which float in a calm sea reflecting the rosy sky. All around them, like a flotilla of sailing ships, are icebergs. The CARPATHIA sits nearby, as boats row toward her. 

All of Christen's memories seem to merge and time just goes quickly for her without sound... a ship's hull looming, with the letters CARPATHIA visible on the bow... Christen watching, rocked by the sea, her face blank... seamen helping survivors up the rope ladder to the Carpathia's gangway doors... two women crying and hugging each other inside the ship... . Christen hears music in her head, so gentle and sad, part elegy, part hymn, part aching song of love lost forever. 

Christen, outside of time, outside of herself, coming into Carpathia, barely able to stand... Christen being draped with warm blankets and given hot tea... and just then Bruce Ismay climbs aboard. He has the face and eyes of a damned soul. 

As Ismay walks along the hall, guided by a crewman toward the doctor's cabin, he passes rows of seated and standing widows. He must run the gauntlet of their accusing gazes. He is seen as only one thing... a coward. 

...

It is the afternoon of the 15th. Cal is searching the faces of the widows lining the deck, looking for Christen. The deck of Carpathia is crammed with huddled people, and even the recovered lifeboats of Titanic. On a hatch cover sits an enormous pile of lifebelts. 

He keeps walking toward the stern. Seeing Cal's tuxedo, a steward approaches him. 

"Sir...You won't find any of your people back here. It's all steerage." 

Cal ignores him and goes amongst this wrecked group, looking under shawls and blankets at one bleak face after another. 

Christen feels his presence as she hides under a blanket sitting up. Her eyes focus on him as he approaches her but doesn't see her. 

He moves behind her, looking around the other side to Christen. When he turns her way, Christen was quick to move the blanket, which wraps around her body and head, to cover her face from him. 

When Cal doesn't see or find her, he starts to walk away. 

"That's the last time I ever saw him... he married of course and inherited his millions...but the crash of 29, hit his interest hard... and he put a pistol in his mouth that year." Old Christen explains to the group. "Or so I've read..." She chuckles, rolling her eyes softly to the side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Tobin :( One chapter left!


	22. Chapter 22 (Final Chapter)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine’s Day everyone, hope you and your love have a great day!

At the railing of the Carpathia, 9pm April 18th, rain pouring down. Christen gazes up at the Statue of Liberty, looking just as it does today, welcoming her home with her glowing torch. It is just as Alex saw it, so clearly, in her mind. 

As she does look up, her wet hair clinging to the sides of her face, a young immigration Officer comes up to her with a clipboard. 

"Can I take your name please, love?" He asks in a soft voice so it doesn't scare her. Christen looks at him. 

"Heath." She says easily and looks back up to the Statue of Liberty. "Christen Heath." The officer writes it down with a small 'thank you' before leaving her be. 

... 

Old Christen sits with the group in the Imaging Shack, lit by the blue glow of the screens. She holds the haircomb with the jade butterfly on the handle in her gnarled hands. 

"We never found anything on Tobin. There's no record of her at all." Bodine speaks softly to her. 

"No, there wouldn't be, would there?" She chuckles softly. "And I've never spoken of her until now, not to anyone." She looks to Emily smiling. "Not even to your grandfather." Emily chuckles. "A woman's heart is a deep ocean of secrets. But now you know there was a women named Tobin Heath, and that she saved me, in every way that a person can be saved." She looks down sadly and frowning. "I don't even have a picture of her. She exists now only in my memory." She half smiles, looking into her lap. 

...

Under the heavy water, the Mir submersibles make their last pass over the ship. Yuri the pilot talks on the UQC...

"Mir One returning to surface."

The sub rises off the deck of the wreck, taking its light with it, leaving the Titanic once again it its fine and private darkness. 

... 

A desultory wrap party for the expedition is in progress. There is music and some of the (co-ed) Russian crew are dancing. Bodine is getting drunk in the aggressive style of that drunken man on the Titanic. 

Lovett stands at the rail, looking down into the black water with a a thick rolled up Cigar, Emily is with him. 

"You know... I was saving this for when I found the diamond..." He sighs and sniffs the cigar before throwing it over board. 

"I'm sorry." Emily says, looking at him. 

"Three years... thought of nothing but Titanic." He sighs looking up at her. "But I never got it...I never let it in..." He realises now this whole project was pointless. Emily shakes her head at him, feeling sorry. 

They look out at the water. 

Nearby on the stern deck, Christen walks through the shadows of the deck machinery. Her nightgown blows in the wind. Her feet are bare. Her hands are clutched at her chest, almost as if she is praying. 

Christen reaches the stern rail. Her gnarled fingers wrap around the rail. Her ancient feet step up on the gunwale. She pushes herself up, leaning forward. She looks at the black water glinting far below, memories coming back. 

Then she looks down to her hand... revealing a certain object to herself and smiles, remembering. 

A silent image of a young Christen comes to her mind, still looking at the Statue of Liberty aboard the Carpathia. She has her hands in her pockets. She stops looking up, feeling something, and pulls out the necklace. She stares at it in amazement. It's the 'heart of the ocean'. 

Christen smiles to herself and closes her hand. And with a small gasp, she throws the necklace back into the ocean. Where it rightfully belongs. 

She watches the diamond disappear and sparkle to the infinite depth of the Atlantic, joining the Titanic. 

She then looks back out to sea, taking a deep breath of air and finally feeling the peace she has needed, to put the Titanic behind her...

...

Within Christen's cabin, her photos which were perfectly arranged remain the same as Christen is in bed...

Christen as a young actress in California, radiant... a theatrically lit studio publicity shot... Christen and her husband, with their two children... Christen with her son at his college graduation... Christen with her children and grandchildren at her 70th birthday. A collage of images of a life lived well, as Christen promised a certain someone.

Another photo of Christen in circa 1920. She is at the beach, sitting on a horse at the surfline. The Santa Monica pier, with its rollercoaster is behind her. She is grinning, full of life. 

A life that went through trauma and happiness all at once. 

Looking at Christen, her wrinkled face is relaxed, mouth agape, eyes softly shut. Christen is very still in her warm bed, and to anyone she looks like she is sleeping so peacefully and not a care in the world. 

But really... a life which lived full, has come to an end. A promise had been filled. 

So now, it was time for this soul, to move onto something... well... someone who has been waiting. 

...

Everything was dark but then the wreck of the Titanic, looms like a ghost out of the shadows. It is lit by a kind of moonlight, a light of the mind. 

Suddenly, everything goes bright, passing over the endless forecastle deck to the superstructure, moving faster than subs can move... almost like flying. The way Tobin and Christen felt upon the railings of the ship at the bow.

Zooming into the ship, the echoing sound of distant waltz music is heard. The rust fades away from the walls of the dark corridor and it is transformed into the ship it once was. 

In this point of view, the person is now walking and emerges onto the grand staircase entrance, lit by glowing chandeliers. 

The doorman opens the door with a smile to this person with a small bow. The music is vibrant now, and the room is populated by men in tie and tails, women in gowns. It is exquisitely beautiful. 

As the person walks, the crowd of beautiful gentlmen and ladies turn as they descend toward them. All greeting happily. And all classes finally mixing as one.

Everyone was there... Wallace Hartley and his band...Megan Rapinoe... Captain Andonovski. 

At the bottom of the stairs stood Alex, Kelley, Ali and Ashlyn all smiling as the person walks through. 

Murdoch, Lowe, Lightoller and other crew members look on smiling as the person passes. 

Little Mal and her father... Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis, the two maids stood there smiling...

Everyone from the Titanic was here... but where was here? 

This person looks up to the top of the staircase... seeing a women with their back towards them, in front of the grand clock, looking at it. The women is in a dark grey long sleeve shirt, black trousers with suspenders around the shoulders. Her hair flowing and slightly parted to the side. 

As this person walks up the stairs, the women turns... it's Tobin! 

Grinning, she holds her hand out toward the person. 

Then it all clicks... the person is Christen! She's back to her younger self of 17 and walking through her afterlife. 

Everyone waited for her to live her previous life to the max before she returned to them, especially to Tobin. 

Christen grabs Tobin's hand and goes into her arms, they look into each other's eyes lovingly and can't stop smiling. 

They have found each other in a different world, a different life. A true love. 

Then they close the gap... giving each other a much needed, deep kiss. Full of love, connection, lost and relief. 

The passengers, officers and crew of the RMS Titanic smile further and applaud in the utter silence of the abyss, letting the two lovers have their moment. 

Kelley, Alex, Ashlyn and Ali whooping and probably clapping the loudest. 

Christen has found her home and figured out that life needed love... and she's found it all in Tobin. 

And Tobin, the poor but lucky artist with a lucky hand found the girl who changed her life forever... for the good. 

They have each other now and they know for sure...

They will never let go. 

THE END.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s a wrap! 
> 
> A nice short and sweet chapter to finish things up 😁.
> 
> Thank you for having time to read this, honestly means so much! And really hope you have enjoyed it :) 
> 
> If you can, please share this story to people you think might be interested... I’m sure everyone loves a good love story from time to time but with their favourite football players 😂.
> 
> So until I feel like writing again 😂 see ya then! 
> 
> Stay safe! X


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